The Legend of Ban
by Rassilon001
Summary: [Next Avatar] Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end. Born amidst a loving family in the city of Zaofu, Ban Beifong discovers he is the reincarnation of Korra, the Next Avatar. But with no idea how to control his gifts or access his spiritual abilities, he must undertake a journey to discover what that title truly means. Danger, however, looms on the horizon.
1. B1 C01 The Next Avatar

**Disclaimer:  
** I do not own Avatar, the Last Airbender, the Legend of Korra, or any of the associated characters or expanded universe. They belong Nickelodeon, Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Studio Mir. Who made something special for us. I will, however, lay claim to the original characters and ideas found herein, however.

 **Summary:  
** The Legend of Korra has come to an end, but every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end. Born amidst a loving family in the city of Zaofu, Ban Beifong discovers he is the Next Avatar. But with no idea how to control his gifts or access his spiritual abilities, he must undertake a journey to discover what that title truly means. Danger, however, looms on the horizon, as a new enemy rises up to ensure his tenure as Avatar is a short one. The cycle continues, and a new Legend begins.

* * *

" _You will find that if you look for the light, you can often find it._ "  
\- **Iroh, the Dragon of the West**.

* * *

 ** _Fire. Air. Water. Earth._**

Over ten thousand years ago, Wan merged with Raava, the Spirit of Light. They became the first Avatar, forever linking the human and spirit realms. Together, they worked to bring forth a new era for the world. A time of peace and harmony. The Age of the Avatar, and the Four Nations. Ten thousand years later, Harmonic Convergence came and went again, and the world continued to change and grow. Avatar Korra began an entirely new era, and people moved forward into the future, even as they remembered and honored their past.

But even the Legend of Korra had to one day come to an end. Surrounded by loved ones and peaceful in her old age, Korra gently slipped away in the middle of the night, her spirit departing her body. She'd more than earned her rest. Her work was finally done, and she could sleep.

The Avatar, however, lived on.

In that exact same moment, far across the globe in the city of Zaofu, an infant's wail pierced the darkness. A mother's exhausted sigh was followed by joyous celebration as the newest member of the Metal Clan was welcomed into the world. Once he'd been properly cleaned and bundled, the boy was presented to his mother, gazing up at her with astonishingly bright eyes. Unlike the majority of his family, whose eyes were a shade of green or greenish-brown, his were a bright golden color, shining like a pair of newly minted coins.

The little boy saw other people there as well, not just his mother. Their father was there as well, hugging his mother and watched with a proud grin on his face. Standing nearby was a gray-haired, distinguished gentleman with a kindly smile. This was Bolin, his grandfather. The gentle looking woman with silver streaks by his side was Opal, his grandmother. Many assorted cousins, uncles, aunts, and friends of the family were gathered around, talking in hushed but excited tones. Both mother and son were in excellent health. Almost supernaturally strong, in the case of the latter. They had been most blessed.

He didn't understand any of this yet. Nor could he comprehend yet the destiny that awaited him. For now, he was content, nestled into the warmth of his mother's embrace, hearing her voice.

"Welcome to the world, Ban," she said. "Our special little boy."

* * *

 **Sixteen Years Later.**

* * *

Zaofu did not have formal schooling like a lot of the nations of the world, but that didn't meant it was content to let it's children simply run wild without an education. At least, not if their parents could afford it. So it was that another young generation were instructed in the basics of language, writing, mathematics and history by Master Cheng and a handful of others. From just after breakfast to a little after mid-day. In the afternoon, the master also taught basic earthbending to those who'd begun to display talent. All others were free to pursue other interests.

Among them, Ban Beifong.

Ban, who displayed no talent for earthbending despite his prestigious last name, was not included in these lessons. When class ended, he scooped up his books and threw his bookbag over his shoulder. He was just making his way for the doorway when someone bumped into Ban's shoulder hard, nearly knocking him off-balance.

"Oops, sorry _Bon_ , didn't see you there," someone said, making Ban glance up in annoyance.

Wedge, nearly twice Ban's size and dumber than a handful of rocks, he took pride in pushing what he viewed as 'the rich kid' around whenever he got the chance.

Ban, however, never let the bully bother him. He was unshakable as the ground as he calmly straightened his pack and walked out of the room, exiting the class with a profound dignity despite the mocking laughter and taunts coming from the handful of earthbender kids who remained. Though there weren't many of them, they'd taken to lording it out over other children their age because of their bending. Feeling it somehow made them more special than everyone else. And though they looked down on everyone who wasn't part of their little clique, Ban was a particular target for their bullying, being a Beifong. It pleased them to see one so high brought down so low.

None of their taunting so much as ruffled his jet black hair. The years had been kind to the only son of Briar and Amber Beifong. Ban had grown up tall and strong, with a muscular yet slim physique that made him excel at non-bending sports, as well as his skateboarding hobby. He'd even taken some lessons in chi-blocking that he was doing well in. His skin was lightly tanned from his time in the sun, and his dark hair was slicked to one side in the same manner his grandfather had worn it as a kid. But it was in his face that truly drew attention, where nobility and strength shone most clearly. He had a clearly defined jaw and the bright pair of eyes. Eyes a most unnatural shade of gold. No one who ever met Ban could forget such eyes.

Today he'd thrown on a tannish-gray t-shirt over a white longsleeves, bearing a lotus logo from some brand company in Ba Sing See. His usual jeans hung loose from his hips, and a pair of shoes were fitted to his feet. Overall, he looked like any teenager youth in ths bustling city of Zaofu.

He stepped down from the classroom and into the streets of his home. Today there were no lessons in chi-blocking, and he obviously couldn't stay for the earthbending, so he was about to head to the library when a voice called out to him.

"Ban! Hey Ban!"

It was a young girl of the same age as he. Her hair was a vibrant and unforgettable shade of gold, bouncing in a ponytail drawn back behind her head, leaving her facial features clear for all to see. Bright blue eyes were set amongst a face that was undeniably beautiful, with a dainty nose and fine eyelashes of brilliant blonde. But her smile was what truly made her look adorably precocious, stretching almost all the way from ear to ear and showcasing perfectly white teeth set with in it.

She wore a light sweater of faded red and a short, scarlet skirt that descended down to her knees. Both served to emphasis her short but blossoming figure. A pair of dark sandals wrapped around her feet, the straps criss-crossing up her ankles almost to her knees. Like Ban, she held a bookbag slung over her shoulder.

"Ban! Hey come on, get a move on slowpoke!"

Ban displayed a rare, small smile of his own. Even when most of the other kids shunned or ignored him, finding his class or status intimidating, Meiling was never going to let something silly stand in the way of their friendship. The fact that she was something of an outsider herself probably had something to do with it. Meiling's mother had come to Zaofu ten years ago, and was originally from a town in the westernmost edge of the United Republic. She'd never known her father. He'd been serving in the military and died before she'd ever been born.

Meiling kept pace as Ban walked around the side of the building to pick up his skateboard, which he'd left lying against the bike rack. There they found the third member of their little party, lying protectively in front of his property, but hopping immediately to his feet when he saw Ban approaching, wagging his tail excitedly.

Little Jiao was an eel-hound pup that Ban had found a year ago, abandoned on the side of the road. Having just finished the better part of a sandwhich, Ban had let the little guy eat the rest, giving him a friendly scratch behind his ear where the scales were most sensitive. After that, he'd followed Ban home. And despite some misgivings from his parents, he'd been allowed to keep the little mutt. Thanks to a few months of loving care and warm food, he was soon shedding his skeletally thin image and putting on healthy weight again, as well as growing to be quite big.

He yapped once as Ban approached, who leaned over to pat the little eel-hound on his head, making his tail wag even harder. He could not have asked for a more loyal friend, save perhaps for Meiling, and he was always very careful not to make the comparison out loud.

"Good boy. Keeping my stuff safe?"

A short bark confirmed he had. Ban nodded, feeding him a treat he'd been saving all through class. He then picked up his skateboard from where it leaned against the wall, tossing it down onto the nearby sidewalk where Meiling was waiting, and hopped on. He kept his pace slow so Jiao and Meiling could keep up, but he needn't have bothered, Meiling was practically all over the place as she babbled a mile a minutea, and Jiao was doing much the same, though he kept his yipping to a minimum.

"... so I was like, no, that's not the plan. I wanted to hang out with you instead. I asked her to come along, but for some reason she didn't think she'd be welcome. Go figure. Still going to the library today?"

"That... was the plan," he said, catching her tone of voice.

"Ugh, boring! Come on, let's head downtown instead!"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes I know your mommy and daddy don't let you do that without supervision, but come on, it's just to the market. What trouble could we possibly get into? I could do it blind-folded!"

Ban had to admit she had a point. The market hadn't had trouble for years now, the metalbender guardians of the city were adept at keeping troublemakers from trying anything foolish. Mostly the reason he wasn't allowed downtown was because of shysters and con artists, not thieves and murderers. And Ban was tired of always having to go to his parents for every little thing. Plus, he knew they wouldn't be expecting him home anytime soon. He often spent two, sometimes three hours in the library after classes let out. They encouraged his reading habits because it was good for him and because it kept him out of trouble.

Today, however... maybe he could use a little trouble.

"Why not?" he said, angling his skateboard down the next road. Meiling followed, cheering in delight.

"Woohoo, that's the spirit!" she cheered, pumping her fist in the air. "We can hit that new clothing store I told you about on the way back! The one that has the Varridye in aqua-green."

"Don't most of them hold that color?"

"Most of them have _blue-green_ ," Meiling clarified, huffing. " _Aqua-green_ is totally different. There's a subtlty to the shade that I think would go perfect for my highlights this weekend, when..."

Idly he tuned out some of her chatter. He enjoyed Meiling as a friend, but she could and would talk until she ran out of breath and likely not even stop then. He did enjoy their conversations sometimes, to say nothing of her company, but right now she was just chatting about anything that popped into her head, heedless of the brain to mouth filter.

"... I mean, we have a Jasmine Dragon _across the street_ from a Jasmine Dragon! How does that make any sense?! Uhm... Ban... is this the right way?"

He glanced up to see the path they were going. They'd had to detour around some construction a few blocks back, but he was positive this was the way to the market. Unfortunately his instincts seemed to be off, they only found themselves down a dead end alleyway.

"Not the way to the market," Ban surmised, skidding to a halt before he ran into a dumpster, kicking up his skateboard into his hand.

Meiling rolled her eyes. "Brilliant deduction, Ban," she muttered sarcastically. "Oh well we'll just double back and make a left at the intersec-..."

Her voice trailed off as the two of them spotted a trio of rough looking men entering the alleyway, cutting off their exit. Their stance and expression did not look the slightest bit friendly. In fact they looked downright hostile. They were dressed in rough leathers and chains, probably thugs or triad low-lifes. Either way, they had them both outnumbered, outmuscled, and outsized.

 _This would not end well_ , Ban mused.

"Alright kids, not need to cause trouble. Just hand over your yuans, and we won't hurt you," the first one said.

"Much," the second one added. He was an uglier fellow with a brutish physique, bigger than Wedge by a clear foot and with a lot more muscle on his frame. He carried no weapon, which indicated he was either confident in his strength winning the fight or else had some sort of bending at his disposal.

"We may want to just do as they say," Ban said, shifting his body to stand protectively in front of Meiling.

"Should listen to your boyfriend, little girl," the tallest of the three said, nodding approvingly.

"I'm not her boyfriend/He's not my boyfriend," they both explained at once. Meiling and Ban shared a glance and shrugged. Why did everyone keep thinking they were a couple?

"Whatever, just shut up and give us your money. And no sudden moves or sounds. You call for the police... you're both dead meat," the first one said, again brandishing his knife.

Jiao snarled at him, angrily yipping up a storm as he stood protectively in front of Ban and Meiling. Ban, for his part, reached for his wallet, making sure to keep his movements slow and careful so everyone of the thugs could see what he was doing with his hands.

As well as distract them from what he was doing with his feet.

"Meiling...?" he said almost casually. "When I say run... _run_."

Evidently his words confused the thugs, the foremost of whom reached out to grab the wallet, taking a step forward. However, at the last moment Ban pushed his skateboard forward and under the man's foot. Unprepared, he quickly lost his balance, the board shooting out behind him as he came crashing down in front of the kids.

"RUN!"

Ban threw his wallet at the face of the second hoodlum, momentarily cutting off his vision before throwing himself forward with a chi blocking move, trying to strike at his limbs. Alas, he was quick to recover and swung a fist around, cuffing Ban upside the head and slamming him into the far wall. He threw up his leg as the brute charged him, catching him in the midsection and kicking him back. It didn't hurt him much but it kept him at a distance, and right now, Ban was grateful for the breathing space.

He had a feeling this fight wouldn't go well.

Meiling shared a similar opinion. The blonde girl had run, as requested, but hadn't gone far. Seeing Ban wasn't able to escape, she decided she couldn't just abandon him to getting beat up or worse by a bunch of criminals. He was her best friend. It was time for her to act.

Cupping a hand in the open air, Meiling breathed in and out quickly, harnessing her chi and conjuring a tiny flame in the palm of her hand. It was nothing spectacular, but it was enough for the amateur firebender. Rearing back her arm she hurled it like a baseball at the nearest thug.

"Flaming Hand of Firey Doom!" she yelled as she threw it. She found it helped give 'oomph' to her firebending to give her attacks names. Alas, given its lack of mass, she miscalculated the proper angle, and it soared right over her targets head. It did singe his hair though, and she took comfort in that small victory.

The first brute, the one Ban had sent tumbling to the ground, had regained his feet just as his two partners seemed to decide discretion was the better part of valor. Apparently they weren't interested in fighting a firebender with no special abilities of their own. Not he. His pride has been wounded just as much as face (which he'd landed on) and he intended to make these two stuck up kids suffer for what they'd done.

 _First thing's first_ , he decided. _Take out the real threat. The bender girl_. He thrust out a foot, and the ground in front of her erupted in a blunt spike that slammed into Meiling's gut, knocking all the wind out of her. She fell flat on on her backside, and another pair of earthbending moves bent the stony ground into solid cuffs around her wrists and ankles, preventing her from moving. She was trapped.

Seeing her plight, Ban threw himself at the remaining thug, fist reared back to delight a chi-blocking strike. He missed as the thug shifted aside, throwing up his arms and raising a solid wall of concrete between them. Ban's next strike halted inches from the rock before he broke his knuckles. Isntead, he threw up his arms to hold the wall back as the thief threw his arms forward, shoving the stone wall at Ban, intent to crush him between the far wall of the alleyway.

He was quite literally between a rock and a hard place.

"When I'm done with you, there isn't going to be enough dust left to fill a thimble!" snarled the brute. Ban grimly held on, but physical strength against the power of an earthbender's rocks was useless, and the sheer weight of the concrete was steadily growing, threatening to crush him.

Meiling, trapped as she was, struggled more firmly, but the stones held her trapped too tightly.

"No, Ban!" she cried out. "Ban!"

Her best friend in the world seemed to vanish beneath the stones as the earthbender brute thrust his hands forward and let them slam into the far wall. A great cloud of dust rose up, and Meiling screamed.

" **BAN!** "

* * *

From behind the stones, a blazing eldritch light came into being. So bright and terrible it seemed to draw in the light, darkening the alleyway. With an almost casual shift of his hands, Ban shattered the earthen wall to pieces, sending them raining down along the ground as he emerged from behind them like a force of nature.

"What... the...?!" gasped the mugger as he stumbled backwards.

The young man stood before him with glowing eyes and a grim expression. Very wisely, the two hoodlums turned and hightailed it out of the alleyway, running for their lives.

Meiling could only gape in awe, jaw hanging as for once in her life... she couldn't find the words.

"Ban?" she asked tentatively.

* * *

He turned his gaze on her, and she recoiled fearfully. Not from Ban per se, but from the look on his face, which conveyed such an incredible power and tranquil fury it seemed she stood inches away from the sun itself. One misstep and she would be burned. With a tensing of his hand, almost like making a fist, Ban earthbent her restraints, the rock holding her arms and legs shattering into pebbles. And then just like that, the glow faded from his eyes, and Ban slumped against the alley wall. The feelings of terror vanished, replaced instantly by concern. Meiling was at his side in seconds. Jiao padded over to Ban as well, resting his forepaws on his owners leg.

"What... what happened?" asked a woozy Ban.

"What did you...?" Meiling asked. "How... I thought you couldn't earthbend!" Concern was quickly replaced by her usual perkiness as she playfully smacked him on the arm. "You've been holding out on me this whole time?!"

"I can't..." he replied, confused. "You know that. I've never... had any talent..."

"Well you could've fooled me! That was awesome! You flicked that wall aside like it was made of cardboard!"

"I did?" he asked, still looking puzzled and out of sorts.

"Heck yeah you did! Spirits, that was awesome! I have never seen anything like it!"

"Meiling, keep it down!" he whispered harshly. "What if more of those trouble makers are around?"

"Oh pish-posh!" the blonde shook her hand dismissively. "They were running so far and fast they'll be halfway to the North Pole by n-!"

There was a clatter down the way as something disturbed a pile of debris. A can of Flamey-O noodles rolled down the way, and Meiling let loose an 'eep' as she and Ban went back-to-back. Something was moving in the shadows.

"More trouble?" he said, his body tensing, ready to fight again.

"It's alright, children... the menace has passed. They won't trouble you further."

Casting his gaze down the alleyway, Ban spotted the speaker in question. An elderly man wearing faded orange and yellow robes of an airbending master. A thin mustache and a pair of wispy eyebrows seemed to be the only hair on his otherwise bald head, and a distinctive arrow-shaped tattoo pointed down at his nose.

Ban, however, was more puzzled than relieved. He knew this man, after all. "Master Rohan?"

Master Rohan was an elderly airbender who often visited Zaofu as an emissary from the Air Temple in the far east, offering his wisdom to the Beifong family on any number of matters. Ban had known him ever since he'd been little, they'd become very good friends despite the generation gap. They even played the occasional game of pai sho together. But this was the first time he'd seen him look quite so... solemn.

"I was hoping to have a word with you, Ban Beifong," said the aged man as he stepped into the light. "Your mother informed me you were at the library, but when you could not be found there... well... I had to do some searching. Quite an interesting place I find you in, no less," he added with a knowing smile.

Ban tensed, well expecting the older man to tell his family where he'd been. He'd never hear the end of it. And yet, with everything strange that had happened today, that somehow seemed less of a concern than he'd thought it would be. Perhaps it was because of Rohan's sudden interest in him.

"What did you need to talk to Ban about?" asked Meiling.

"You two seem to have already found out," the airbender replied. "We of the Order have known for some time now, though I admit we were puzzled when young Ban here displayed no talent for earthbending in his youth."

The golden-eyed boy nodded, well remembering. "You told Mom and Dad I was probably just a late bloomer."

"Indeed you are. And in more ways than one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Meiling, glancing between Ban and Rohan so quickly she was liable to crack her own neck if she kept it up.

"What do you two know of... Avatar Korra?"

"She's the... reincarnation of the spirit of the earth or something, isn't she?" asked Meiling. "Able to wield all four elements and charged with protecting the planet. She's retired two decades ago to stay at the Eastern Air Temple."

Rohan shook his head solemnly. "That is a falsehood we of the Order and the leaders of the world have been telling in order to keep the peace and prosperity she worked so hard to achieve. But the truth is that Avatar Korra passed away some time ago. Peaceful, of old age."

"The Avatar's dead?" Meiling asked, somewhat surprised. The momentous news seemed enough to shake her... for about two seconds. "Well that's super lame."

Rohan seemed amused by her assessment of the situation, a thin smile stretching the wrinkles of his face. "Not exactly. While it is true that Avatar _Korra_ has passed on, she lives on in the new Avatar... the _next_ Avatar..."

"Whose that?" asked Ban, confused.

A warm smile greeted his question as Rohan did his best to explain. "Ban, my boy... Avatar Korra passed away... sixteen years ago. To be more precise, sixteen years, three months and fourteen days ago."

Three months and fourteen days ago... had been Ban's birthday. His _sixteenth_ birthday. He and Meiling shared a look, unable to believe what they were being told. The sheer concept of it baffled their young minds, refusing to be put into words. Rohan, however, spelled it out for them.

"Which means that... _you_ , Ban Beifong... are the next Avatar."

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you've enjoyed.

I've always liked the idea of the Next Avatar being a Beifong, and being named Ban for some reason. Badassery just runs naturally in that family. Plus, it seems each new Avatar of the same nation seems to be a different gender (Roku being a possible exception). With the revelation of Suyin's family in season three, the idea suddenly seemed much more realistic, and the story blossomed from there. It should be noted this book follows the continuity set forth in my previous Legend of Korra story, Book 5: Legends. It shouldn't unduly affect the reading of this story by itself, but there are a few things that'll be different if you skipped directly from the series to this story.

I'd cast Vincent Tong as Ban, and Tiffany Grant as his friend (possibly more) Meiling. Alex Hirsh as Rohan.

Next time: Seasons of Change.


	2. B1 C02 Seasons of Change

" _Family isn't always blood, it's the people in your life who accept who you are, and love you no matter what happens._ "  
\- **Kiyi, Uncrowned Princess of the Fire Nation**.

* * *

Ban's parents were out for the time being, but he'd dutifully invited Rohan and Meiling in to their home and closed the door, then led them to the gardens in the back of their estate. It was far removed from the eye of the general populace, thanks to sturdy walls and an impressive security measure the Beifong's had put in place in recent generations. Now, it was a welcome place of a sanctuary and stability for a young man who found himself decidely out of sorts.

Usually one of the most composed and calm of individuals, right now Ban was pacing back and forth beside his mother's sand garden, examining his hands every few minutes as if seeing something alien and unexplainable attached to his wrist, instead of the familiar ten digits he'd had ever since the day he was born. Meiling was chatting away a mile a minute, asking a dozen questions, but he totally tuned her out. And Rohan seemed to be waiting for Ban and Ban alone to speak. His patience was eventually rewarded.

"How did you know?" Ban finally asked.

Meiling shot him a look that plainly said she thought he was crazy. "Uh hello, did you miss the part where you turned a wall into dust with a flick of your hands! And your eyes were glowing, don't forget about the eyes glowing! Kinda pretty almost sure that's important!" she said, punctuating her remarks with wildly articulate hand gestures.

He grimaced self-consciously. Fortunately, Rohan came to his rescue.

"There is a test we administer," the aged master explained. "For the very young. We've suspected the truth concerning you for some time now. What happened earlier today was merely confirmation."

Nodding absent-minded, Ban started to wring his hands. "So... what happens now?"

"Now... your training begins," Rohan explained. He walked over to Ban and laid a wrinkled hand on the young man's shoulder, halting his pacing. "As it was in ancient times long past, the Avatar must embark on a journey to understand the world and learn more about it. As well as study under the masters of each elemental nation. In a few years you should be able to master all four elements, and you'll be recognized as a fully realized Avatar."

"But I just barely realized I can earthbend," he protested. "You're saying I have to learn _three more_ as well?"

"And master them," Rohan replied, nodding. "But I know you can do it, Ban."

"This is insane..." Ban said, recoiling from the kindly elder's touch. "How do you know? How can you be sure I can do it?"

"Because you've done it before. Many times in fact."

"Oh that's right," Meiling interjected, feeling too long had gone without her saying something and finally recognizing a topic she was somewhat knowledgable on. "Korra's like, your reincarnation, so if she knew all four elements, you should too."

"Korra mastered all the elements when she was only five...!" he protested. "I mean... didn't she?"

Rohan shook his head, beckoning them to follow. "A common misconception. She began displaying the _ability_ to bend water, earth and fire... when she was only _four_. That is how the White Lotus was able to identify her at such a young age and begin her training immediately. In retrospect, we of the Order believe that Korra was so exceptionally gifted so young because Raava sensed Harmonic Convergence was approaching, and knew the Avatar needed to be ready for it. But many Avatars who came before Korra had no idea of who they truly were until their _sixteenth_ birthday."

Exactly how old Ban was now. Meiling glanced over at her closest friend as if seeing him clearly for the first time.

"... how did you know? What was this... test you spoke of?" Ban asked as they walked along. They were nearing the center of gardens.

"As I said, we've suspected for some time," Master Rohan explained. "The method for identify the Avatar has varied from nation to nation and has even changed over the years. For a while we were indeed puzzled by your lack of aptitude with earthbending, so we remained silent for a time to see what would happen. But perhaps you recognize this?"

They'd finally reached middle of the gardens, where Rohan gestured at its centermost feature: a great oak tree standing nearly a dozen feet high. Ban remembered, it had been planted a few years back, but everyone had been remarking on how quickly it grew. It now towered almost half again his height, its trunk and branches a whitewashed wooden ivory, it's leaves vibrant and green, no matter the season. Nor had it stopped growing, it was bigger every year, and they'd left more than enough space at the base of the trunk for its roots to expand.

"When you were perhaps six or so, your class would have done a project on gardening," Rohan explained. "The teachers passed out seeds to all the students and you were instructed to plant them in jars of dirt and see if they grew, yes?"

It took him a moment to recall. "Yeah, I remember," Ban replied. "I thought it was weird we were learning how to garden, but the teacher said something about learning to care for life and learn more about ourselves. Or something like that. What about it?"

"During the first night when the jars were left in the classroom, your teachers and we of the White Lotus collected the original jars and replaced them with identical ones and ordinary, regular seeds," he explained. "The original seeds were spirit seeds, collected with great care from the Tree of Time. Are you familiar with it?"

"... don't... think I've heard of it," Ban replied. Meiling likewise shook her head.

"... another time, perhaps, but suffice to say it holds great spiritual power," Rohan went on. "And more importantly, _reacts_ to great spiritual power. In hundreds of classrooms across the length and breadth of the Earth Kingdom, we collected the seeds we gave to students. Each and every one of them failed to bloom, their seeds dormant. All but one."

"... me."

A bob of the tattooed forehead. "Correct. And that seed flourished into this very tree," Rohan said, indicating the great oak in the middle of the gardens.

Ban stepped up to the tree, lightly resting a hand against it. It felt alive to him. Not just in the way most plants would, but it seemed to almost hum underneath his hand. A steady, rhythmic beating. Like drums beating out a slow rhythm. Or a heartbeat.

"I did this?" Ban asked, peering back at the elderly monk.

"You did. And you are only just learning of your full potential," Rohan said with great solemnness. "You will help bring balance to the world."

Meiling's face scrunched up in deep thought. "What does that mean?"

"What she said."

"Ban, you are the Avatar. That means you must master all four elements, and bring balance to the world. Bring us peace and prosperity. It is not an easy undertaking, but it is one you have accomplished before in many lifetimes. And you can do it again."

His stomach felt like it was sinking. "Oh, great, no pressure... I don't suppose there's any way I can opt out of this?"

Rohan smiled, neither shaking his head nor nodding, but the look in his eyes was plain enough. There was no choice. And it was rapidly becoming clear to Ban this was no mistake or fluke either. It was all starting to make a sort of scary sense.

"... oh man... _why me_?"

"A question we all must ask ourselves from time to time," the aged airbender replied. "But for what it is worth, I have known you since you were little. I have seen your kind heart. If anyone has deserved such a blessing as this, it is you, Ban."

Meiling was absent-mindedly nodding her head as well, but Ban barely noticed. He took off to pacing again, and Rohan quirked a brow as he watched the dirt and sand in the ground beside the path. As Ban walked past, they began to shake and shift, forming ripples, center from where the new Avatar was.

 _Such power, and at such a young age, but he yet had no control over it_ , Rohan mused.

There was a muffled bang from inside the house, and they dimly recognized it was a door slamming. Ban knew instantly what it was, and the other two had an inkling.

"That's Mom and Dad... they're home. I guess I'd better go break the news to them..."

 _How on earth do you explain you're the Avatar_? he wondered. _Why wasn't there a manual on this stuff_?

* * *

Briar and Amber Beifong took the news remarkably well. Only one of them fainted.

Once they'd brought Briar back around and Amber served some tea, Rohan explained the situation. It helped that Amber's parents, Bolin and Opal Beifong, had been good friends with Avatar Korra. They understood a great deal of how this sort of thing worked. They'd even known Avatar Korra for much of her early life, she'd made many visits to Zaofu before growing older had forced her to make less frequent forays into the world. But the idea that her reincarnation could happen to be their very own son Ban had simply never crossed their minds.

He wasn't sure if he should be insulted by that thought or comforted by it.

* * *

Right now he wasn't really given to much thought at all. It was early the next day, and Ban was upstairs in his room, packing his bags. Selecting which clothes he could bring with him, stuffed into a plain, non-descript backpack. The same one he'd used to carry his books to school. Ban had never been outside of Zaofu before, never had the need to travel, everything had always been right here for him. Yet he was looking around the room of his for the last sixteen years and realizing he might not see it again for a very long time.

He was halfway through folding a shirt when his thoughts turned to such, and he was caught staring out into the open air when a polite cleared throat caught his attention.

Rohan was at the door.

"May I come in?" asked the aged master.

Ban nodded, making room for the older man and clearing some space on his bedside in case he wanted to sit down. His chair was already covered with socks and undergarments of a (reasonably) clean nature he was set to add to the briefcase, and half the floor was a mess. Books fought for space with clothes, and here and there was the occasional gemstone. He'd collected quite a few when he'd been younger, but since given up the hobby. Normally they were on display but he'd knocked it over a few days ago and not been bothered to clean it up.

"I'm almost finished packing," Ban said. "Unless there was something else you needed me to do?"

"No, no, everything is fine, Ban. I've finished making arrangements with the White Lotus," Rohan explained. "All the travel has been set up for you."

"So, I don't suppose being Avatar means we automatically get a first class flight?" Ban asked with some wry amusement. He finished folding the shirt and laid it down atop of the others. Idly he wondered if he was packing too much or too little.

"We're not going by airplane," Rohan said, interrupting his thoughts. "Or zepplin. We're taking the train to Ba Sing Se."

"Train?"

"To maintain a lower profile," he explained. "The Order has decided to keep the news of Korra's passing quiet until such time as you have mastered the four elements. When you're ready to emerge as the new Avatar... then and only then we'll inform the world of the passing of the old one."

He mulled over that a moment before nodding. "I guess that sounds reasonable."

"The White Lotus is not fond of this deception," Rohan protested, feeling uncomfortable with how quickly Ban had agreed with him. "But it was one of the final instructions of Avatar Korra before she passed away. She wanted to ensure her successor was not unduly burdened at such a young age. You have a chance to live your own life while you train to master the four elements."

"As long as nobody knows who I am..." Ban lamented. Then, realizing how much his perception of himself had changed in only a day, added, "I'm not even sure who I am anymore."

"You'll learn."

Ban nodded and shouldered his pack. It felt lighter than he was expecting. But the again, he wasn't taking much, was he? Like the Avatars of old, he was venturing out into the world with little more than the clothes on his back, no need for 'worldly possessions' or such. He'd also managed to sneak a book or two into his bag, but the effort was half-hearted. He didn't feel like reading much at the moment. His thoughts were buzzing enough as it is without a need to learn some new historical saga or fantasy story.

Ban snorted with irony, realizing he was about to become _part_ of a historical saga.

There was another knock on the door, and Ban looked up, half expecting to see his mother or father. Instead, someone else was there. A familiar face.

"Grandpa," Ban greeted, smiling again.

Age had been kind to Bolin Beifong, having maintained a sort of sturdiness well into his old age. While slower than younger men he made up for it with great resiliency, able to weather whatever the world could throw at him as stoicly as a mountain could endure a storm. And while his face was lined with wrinkles, his jade green eyes were clear as ever. His hair had gone gray, but thankfully he still had all of it, a rich head of almost silverish locks and a full but neatly trimmed moustache and beard spread across his face. Photos had once shown him with the most ridiculous handlebar moustache, but Ban had been told his grandmother, Opal, had threatened to leave him if he didn't shave it off. They eventually compromised, and he added the beard to compliment it.

"Hey there, slugger," Bolin greeted him, reaching out to affectionatel tousle his grandson's hair. He'd done it all the time when Ban had been younger, and normally Ban would raise a token protest about being too old for such childish gestures. Yet now, it bespoke of a comfortable familiarity that he desperately needed, and he relaxed under the gesture.

Nodding to his grandson, Bolin also greeted the other elder in the room, offering him a hand. "Rohan... good to see you again."

"And you, Bolin," the other man replied, taking his hand. The two shared a half-hug with their other arms, surprisingly strong even given their respective ages. Proof of a great affection held between them.

"Mind if I have a moment with my grandson?"

The airbending master nodded his tattooed head. "I'll be downstairs."

The youngest son of Tenzin departed, leaving behind only the Beifong's. Who shared an equally awkward moment, wanting to say everything and unsure of where to start. Mercifully, Bolin had practice at working while under pressure thanks to his early career as an actor, and improvised at least a place to start.

"So, I uh... I heard the news. How're you taking it, Ban?"

Nervously rubbing the back of his head, Ban didn't even think about lying. He never could with his family. "Honestly? I have no idea."

Bolin chuckled at that. "Yeah it's a hell of a thing, having the Avatar come into your life and shake things up a bit. I mean, I had to watch it from the outside, but you... you're going to live it."

The words did nothing to bolster Ban's spirits. If anything, he felt only more pressure descend onto his shoulders. Seeing as much in his expression, Bolin gently reached out, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Nervous?"

"... terrified," his grandson replied honestly. Bolin was no truth-seer, but he seemed to always know when Ban was fibbing.

"Don't be. You're not alone in this anymore than Korra was."

Ban smirked, well remembering some of his grandfather's stories. "You were with her at the start, weren't you?"

"That's right. Me, Opal, your great-uncle Mako... Rohan when he got older. We had a whole crew of sorts back in the day," Bolin said, smiling in nostalgia. "Not many of us left anymore..."

"You got old," Ban remarked, not unkindly.

Bolin gave a soft laugh at that. "I did at that."

An awkward silence descended on the room, as Bolin's laughter faded away and he took a good, long look at his grandson, feeling his apprehension rolling off him in waves. On the surface he looked calm and placid, even numb, but in his golden gaze, so much like his brother Mako's, Bolin could see he truly _was_ terrified.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Ban?"

"Do I have a choice?" Ban asked, feeling less and less like he had one by the minute. Nobody had stopped to ask what he wanted to do, everyone was assuming this was his path in life now. He felt trapped.

But Bolin took his grandson by the shoulders and gave him a gentle, but firm shake.

"You always have a choice, Ban. Me and Korra, well... her more than me... we fought to give people a choice. And Avatar or no, you've still got one too. But I think you'll make the right choice."

"Why?"

"'cause you're a good kid," the elder Beifong said with a kindly smile, wrinkles crinkling around his eyes. "Always have been. And now you have a chance to _do **real**_ goodness. Like no one else can. And hey... even if you make mistakes... learn from them. Get better. Don't try to be perfect, just be good. And everything will work out."

Ban scarcely dared to hope. The invisible burden on his shoulders, while not vanishing, seemed to lighten. "You think so?"

"I know so. Now come on, your mom and dad are making breakfast so we can send you off right. And nobody fries up chicken-horse eggs like your mother."

"I'll uh... I'll be down in a minute," Ban said, wanting to linger just a little in his room. Retreat into the comfort and familiarity for just a few more minutes.

"No pressure," Bolin repeated, turning and departing. Ban watched him go, feeling a little envious. No one had ever expected the poor street rat from Republic City to make anything of himself. Yet he'd become one of the most recognized individuals in the world thanks to his movers and his marriage into the prestigious Beifong family. He'd never needed to do anything, and he'd done everything.

But with Ban... Avatar Ban... people were expecting things. They were very big shoes to fill.

"Yeah, no pressure," he muttered to himself as he left his room for the last time, flicking the lights off, and descended downstairs to say farewell to his parents.

* * *

Much as Ban wanted to study under old Cheng, he wasn't a true master of the earthbending arts. Oh, he was an excellent teacher, but his knowledge only extended to the basic forms and the simplest of moves. A far cry from the sort of technique a fully realized Avatar would need to know. And sadly, in this era, bending was very much on the decline. Each year it seemed the bending population of each nation was dropping more and more. Children of prestigious families were showing less and less talent for the bending arts, and in some cases none at all. Ban and Meiling's school, easily full of a hundred students, only held a dozen or so who had any bending ability. Like Wedge. The rest, regardless of their parentage and national heritage, were non-benders.

It was a dying art, some thought.

Others thought perhaps it was simply in flux, that like the coming and going of the tides, it would restore itself to equilibrium soon, and there'd be a rise of benders in the next generation. Whatever the case, the fact remained that not everyone had the ability. For the longest time, Ban had thought himself one of these, and he'd long ago made peace with the fact.

And now...

Now he was the Avatar, and they needed to find a true master of the art to teach him. All of them. But first thing came first, and that was earthbending, so it was they took the name of one of Bolin's old students who lived in Ba Sing Se. He would instruct Ban in the art of earthbending.

A farewell hug later and Ban was stepping out of his home, giving a final farewell to Briar and Amber Beifong, his parents. They seemed determined to wave until their arms fell off, or else he was entirely out of view, for they were nearly at the next intersection before he glanced back and saw no sign of them. And that sinking feeling in his stomach returned. He was well and truly leaving home now.

"BAN!"

Jiao gave a yip of delight by his heel as Ban turned to see Meiling come speeding down the sidewalk towards them.

"BAAAaaaAAAaaaAAAN!"

He quirked an eyebrow as he stood there, letting her approach. Rohan had likely stopped, watching with some puzzlement if this was another farewell the Avatar had to see to before he could depart. But Ban got the sinking suspicion there was more to it than that. For one thing, Meiling was wearing her backpack same as he was, despite it not being a school day. And it seemed a bit more full than he previously remembered it ever looking. It wasn't just books she was carrying this time.

She sprinted right up to him, then had to catch her breath, grasping her knees as she bent over, sucking in lungfuls of air. He folded his arms and waited patiently.

"I'm...! Coming...! With you...!" she explained between gasps of air. "Oooh... lemme... catch... my breath..."

"Out of the question," Rohan replied immediately, if not unkindly. His tone was gentle as he rebuked her claim. "This is Ban's journey."

"Right... I know that," she said, standing more upright and taking fewer breaths. "Look I get this is important and Ban needs to master all four elements and everything, but I'm coming too. He needs me. I look after him."

Ban quirked an eyebrow, pretty sure she meant that the other way around. "What about your mom?"

"She says I can come!" Meiling shot back quickly. Too quickly.

Pinned under the gaze of the other two, the blonde cracked in minutes. "Okay she might be under the impression this is more like a short term vacation I'm taking with Ban until the school season picks up and Rohan is like some eccentric extracurricular mentor program teacher," she explained. "Maybe."

"Meiling..."

"If you don't let me come I'll tell," she swiftly promised. "I will tell every single person I know, I will rent out space in a newspaper, I will go on VV and shout at the top of my lun-!"

Ban swiftly stepped up to her and slapped a hand over her mouth. Her voice was starting to carry. Without removing his hand, he glanced back at the elderly monk. "Perhaps its best we simply let her come," he implored Rohan. "Meiling means what she says, and even if she didn't, she talks too much. Someone might find out by accident."

Meiling's eyes narrowed and she tried to make a retort, but it was thankfully muffled.

The air master glanced between the two of them as Meiling finally freed herself from Ban's grip, complaining loudly about how he didn't need to gag her to shut her up. Their interaction was, on the surface, loud and violent, even antagonistic, but Rohan recalled well enough how willing they had been ready to defend one another from the thugs in the alleyway. The two of them were close, easily best friends, if not truly like brother and sister. To separate them would be unkind and cruel.

And there _was_ the matter of Korra's last wishes. She'd specifically requested in her final will to the White Lotus for the new Avatar to be allowed, even encouraged, to have friends their own age. Well remembering her life growing up isolated in a compound with only ancient masters and her parents to see her, Korra did not wish to repeat the mistake with the new generation.

Much as Rohan wished he could contact his superiors in the White Lotus, he had to make the choice and he had to make it now. And really, what other choice could he make with such a situation?

"Very well," Rohan said with a soft little sigh. "Meiling may come."

"Suh-weet!" The blonde firebender punched the air as she gave a leap of victory. "This is gonna be SO awesome!"

Ban managed a weary smile. Meiling could be exhausting to keep up with, but she was good to be around. Moreso now than ever. With everything changing in his life so rapidly, she was a singular source of constant familiarity. That he was going to get to keep her in his life was a welcome relief.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you've enjoyed.

It took me a while to come up with a suitable idea for identifying a new Avatar. I figured with the line of Wan gone, they'd need a new method, and it had to be something both subtle and meaningful to figure out who it was. Finding four toys amongst hundreds would seem far too obvious to me. I went through several ideas before settling onto the spirit seed idea. And it set up elements for future development, namely the tree.

While I wanted to use a real quote of Kiyi's (those unfamiliar with her, go read the Interquel comics, she's a treat), she doesn't really have much dialogue, so I had to make something up. Still fits her character.

Of course Meiling is coming along, she's an essential part of the new Team Avatar, even if she and Ban don't realize it yet. Plus I figured Korra would leave directions for her successor the same way Aang did for her, and tweak them according to her own experiences. Having friends is essential to maintaining a well-rounded Avatar. Naturally, this will lead to another character in the next chapter: Willow.

Next time: The Changing Winds.


	3. B1 C03 The Changing Winds

" _You're an outcast like me. And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs, because no one else will._ "  
\- **Jet, Leader of the Freedom Fighters.**

* * *

Zaofu's station was on the southern side of the city, just past the apothecary where Ban's dad worked as a pharmacist. Since winter was ending, many people were starting to travel again, be it returning from vacation or in pursuit of business, and the station was positively packed. It took Rohan, Meiling, and Ban some time to reach the ticket counter, secure their ride, find their train, and begin boarding. The final whistle was blowing as Ban reached the entryway, just behind the others.

Ban shouldered his pack and took one last long, lingering look at Zaofu. His home.

Then, reluctantly, turned and followed Master Rohan and Meiling as they boarded their train.

* * *

The swiftest way through the Earth Kingdom was the mag rail line. Thus, Rohan took his new charges to the train station in Zaofu for a short hop to the continental line in nearby Grand Sheng Station. From there, they'd be able to go virtually anywhere. Their destination lay to the northeast, in the vast metropolis of Ba Sing Se. The legendary Impenetrable City.

For Ban, who'd never been farther from his home than the borders of Zaofu, it was easily as far away as the other side of the world. He settled into his seat and just watched the scenery roll by. He, Rohan and Meiling were in a cramped compartment, for the train wasn't a large one. Meiling was doing her best to keep entertained in such tight space, not easy when she kept fidgeting, and Rohan was doing his best to read the morning paper and ignore both of his young charges for the time being.

Finally, after what seemed like a short eternity (but in reality was closer to two hours) their train began to slow. Rohan glanced up and, seeing they had arrived, folded his newspaper closed.

"We're here," he announced.

Meiling and Ban were eager to get off the train once they came to a full and complete stop, piling out of the metal contraption as quickly as they could while Rohan took a more leisurely pace, not interested in bumping shoulders with the more anxious travelers passing by. By nature, everyone was in a hurry, the train was being unloaded from everyone from Zaofu as quickly as could be, while just as fast people were trying to pile on who were heading there to begin with.

Their connecting line wasn't due for another hour, so that gave them time to grab some lunch before pressing on. By contrast, the train to Ba Sing Se was going to be an overnight. Rohan (through intermediaries in the White Lotus) had purchased a full compartment with fold-out beds for that trip. That way, they could rest some and wake the next day at their destination somewhat clear eyed and bushy tailed.

Rohan idly checked his pockets, confirming he had the ticket for the compartment in question.

 _Time to find our fourth_ , he mused, finally catching up to Ban and Meiling.

"Are you sure she's here?" asked Ban, hand to his forehead, scanning the crowds. Rohan had, of course, informed them of the situation before they'd arrived. But Ban caught no sight of the individual they were looking for.

"She'll be here," he replied. "I called her before we left Zaofu, she'd already arrived. She should be somewhere in the station."

"Well let's get going then!" Meiling said, anxiously trying to press herself through the mass of bodies. Sometimes more successfully than others. Ban and Rohan shared a glance, then followed her.

Meiling was positively bouncing with energy after being confined inside of the cramped train for so long, not quite to the point of cartwheeling, but coming dangerously close as she hopped up onto a railing for a clearer view above the taller men and women surrounding her. Thanks to this, she managed to easily spot who they were looking for.

"That way!" she said. "I think I found her."

Rejoining the others, the three of them rounded the turn and approached the next platroom. Standing there beside the support pole, evidently waiting for them, was a young girl not much older than Meiling.

She wasn't dressed like most of the others they saw at the station. Unlike the drab grays and blacks of most of the other passengers and train personnel, this woman was wearing a bright yellow dress that reached down to mid-thigh. Underneath were a pair of burnt orange leggings that hugged her very long and very shapely legs. A handkerchief of the same color had been tied into her shoulder-length hair, drawing back the auburn locks from her heart-shaped face, emphasizing her sweet smile and her silvery eyes. The only piece of jewelry she wore as a silvery necklace in the shape of the Air Nomads symbol.

Her expression was warm and welcoming, but her eyelids were half-closed, as if she'd only just awoken. Her smile only grew wider as she saw them approaching, and drifted (not walked, not ran, drifted) across the platform to throw her arms around Rohan's shoulders.

"Grandfather!"

He patted her gently on the back. "Hello again, Willow. It's good to see you again."

"Way cool," Willow agreed.

Her gaze drifted over to Ban and Meiling, who watched with some puzzlement. They'd known they were meeting an airbender and they would be accompanying them to Ba Sing Se as part of their nomadic wandering, but not that she'd be Rohan's own kin. This was not what they'd been expecting at all.

Rohan made introductions.

"Ban, I'd like to introduce you to my granddaughter... this is Willow."

The young lady reached down to grasp the sides of her dress, dipping into a demure curtsey. Ban raised an eyebrow at her behavior, wondering just who bothered to curtsey in this day and age?

"It's so nice to meet you," Willow said, her voice soothingly soft, like silk. Swaying on her feet, she leaned in close, very close to Ban, as if intent to kiss him on the lips. Ban instinctively froze, unsure of how to deal with this, leaning back slowly to keep his distance.

"I like, just love your eyes," she said, weirding him out further. "They're like... _really_ bright..."

A gentle hand found its way onto her shoulder, gently pulling Willow back and giving Ban some much needed space. He let out a breath heh hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Willow, we talked about personal space, did we not?" Rohan asked rhetorically. "One of your mother's rules?"

"I like to think of them more like... as guidelines," Willow replied indifferently, still smiling. Her silvery gaze flickered over to Meiling, as if noticing her for the first time. "And whose the other one?"

"Oh, and this is Meiling. Ban's friend. She's accompanying us on his journey."

" _Our_ journey," Meiling replied, offering a hand for Willow to shake.

The older girl blinked in confusion for a moment, then reached out to take Meiling's hand in both of hers, marveling at it like she'd never seen one before.

"Wow, your aura is so hot," Willow remarked, in such a way that it made Meiling's cheeks heat up. Her fingers gently adjusted Meiling's, admiring her digits and studying her fingernails.

"Uhm... thank you?"

"You're welcome."

Ban's eyebrow continued to climb higher into his hairline as he just glanced between the two girls, weirded out by their odd behavior. "Ah, well, now that we're all introduced," he announced in a slightly louder-than-necessary tone. "Shall we get going, maybe?"

"Ah you're right, we need to catch our train. Willow, you've eaten?"

"Sometime," she confirmed vaguely.

But whatever the case, she didn't seem to be hungry, and they didn't have much time anyway. The newly founded foursome made their way to the overnight train to Ba Sing Se. Rohan stepped aside to allow his young charges onboard first. The multi-compartment vehicle was a slightly better condition model, larger frame and nicer paneling. They were evidently pleased by this, and he could only smile and shake his head at the nature of today's youth. Things had change so much since his day.

He was about to follow when he paused. Something caught his attention. A whisper on the wind.

Curious, Rohan glanced sideways, green eyes scouring the train platform for what could have stirred his senses so. For a moment, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. The smell of smoke and engine oil, the flow of people in their dark suits and drab dresses. The whistle of the train as it prepared to disembark. Almost everything was ordinary but...

... there.

There was a man there. At first, that didn't seem so out of place as many of the others coming and going on the platform. He wore an unassuming gray suit like so many other travelling men wore. A businessman or merchant, most likely. But Rohan caught sight of something. Not exactly a look, but a feeling. A sense of foreboding, which only grew stronger as the man boarded further down. Eyes narrowing, the aged master finally boarded the train himself, unsure of what to make of it.

Then again, perhaps he was simply being paranoid. Now that he was responsible for the Avatar, as well two teenaged girls (one hyperactive, the other spacey), it was likely naturally he would worry about seemingly inconsequential things. He followed the teens to their compartment, where Ban held the door open and gallantly (and wisely) allowed the girls to go first. Likewise he continued to hold it as Rohan slipped through. The boy obviously knew respect and courtesy, something that many his age would do well to emulate. Settling into his seat, Rohan pulled the newspaper he'd been reading out of his satchel. It took him only a moment to re-find the article he had been perusing before the stop. Then he did his utmost to tune out the three teenagers he was saddled with for the next fourteen hours.

It was a long, long road to Ba Sing Se.

* * *

Long after the sun had set on the horizon, Ban and Meiling had unfolded their beds and tried to fall asleep. Or at least, Ban had tried. Meiling had the remarkable ability to switch off like a light almost on command, instantly dropping into the dream world. Ban had meanwhile tossed and turned fitfully, watching the telephone poles go past outside the window, staring at the stars past them, for almost an hour more before he finally dropped off as well.

Having gone to bed even earlier, Rohan roused himself in the middle of the night with a desperate urge to use the facilities. Curiously, Willow was still up as well, sitting up on her side of the fold out bed, gazing out at the starry night sky with half-closed eyelids.

"You should get some sleep, Willow... tomorrow we've got a lot to do. It may be a while before we can reach our hotel."

"Okay, grandfather," she replied airily. "But I'll be fine."

He wasn't quite sure if that was an agreement or a disagreement. Sighing, and a little envious of her youth and energy, Rohan climbed out of compartment, locking it behind him as he made his way to the end of the compartment where the toilets were found. A short while later, with much relief in his weary bones, he began his trek back amongst the compartments towards his young companions.

However, before he got there, he paused as he caught sight of someone moving the opposite way in the corridor, and shifted aside to let them pass. Curiously, he recognized them. The same man who'd been boarding back in Sheng. Up close, he looked even more suspicious, his eyes shifted left and right, watching constantly, and his business jacket looked two sizes too big for his slender frame. Slowing, Rohan glanced back as the man winded out of sight into the compartment in front of theirs. Curousity getting the better of the aged master, Rohan stepped up to the narrow door that separated the two compartments, peering through the window built into the frame.

It was a good thing he'd done so, for he saw the man shrugging off his jacket in the next compartment, through the sheer glass. Beneath his business coat was some strange sort of vest, covered in vials of a vicous green fluid. Rohan would wager his tattoos it was blasting jelly, and didn't intend to see it go off.

He flung open the doors, and threw an air punch.

Caught completely off-guard, the would be demolition man was thrown headlong down the corridor of the next compartment. The gust of wind battered him up against the far side of the train. Rohan swiftly pressed his advantage, having no desire to give the man a chance to fight back. Bender or not, the vest made him extremely dangerous, and if he was mad enough to try and detonate it while still wearing it, that spoke volumes of his dedication. Rohan had to subdue him, and quickly.

Closing the gap, the aged Air Master grabbed the man by his vest and hauled him up with surprising strength, pushing the younger man against the side of the compartment. By now they'de made a fair bit of noise, but no one was rushing about, this particular compartment must have been empty.

"Who are you?!" Rohan demanded. "Who sent you?!"

The other man glared up at him, but did not respond with words. He let steel do the talking for him.

Rohan gasped, a sharp pain blossoming in his chest, just below his ribcage. Looking down, he saw the hilt of a long dagger pressed against his mustard yellow robes. Robes that were quickly turning scarlet red. Red with blood. _His_ blood.

Like a puppet with its strings cut, Rohan felt all the strength flee his limbs, and he collapsed onto his knees, unable to support his own weight. Nor could he defend against the fist that struck his wrinkled cheek, sending him smashing to the side of the train compartment.

"HEY!"

Rohan rolled his eyes, unable to quite turn his head, as the demolition man looked up. Ban stood there, along with Meiling and Willow just behind him. They must have heard the noise or noticed his absence and come looking for him, as they were still dressed in their sleeping garments.

"Get away from him!"

Dressed in a pair of boxers and a sleeveless t-shirt, Ban didn't look or feel particularly intimidating, but none the less he took up a fighting stance and threw a chi-blocking punch combo at the demolition man, striking his left arm at the elbow and shoulder, rendering the limb useless. It didn't prevent him from lashing out with a kick that caught Ban in the midsection, knocking all the air out of him and sending him crashing to the ground on all fours.

This proved a costly move, however, for it diverted his attention away from the girls. Meiling and Willow rushed forward and each grabbed an arm, restraining him, the latter of which was unknowingly preventing him from reaching the trigger to his vest. Vainly, he struggled, but he couldn't quite gain leverage against both girls at once.

"Ban!" Meiling called out.

He glanced up, caught her gaze. A look told him all he needed, and he quickly flung open the door to the compartment, then dropped onto his knees and hands behind the assailant, standing right in front of the doorway.

"Heave-ho!" Meiling said, and threw herself bodily forward into the man. Catching on quickly, Willow did the same, and their combined strength knocked him backwards over Ban and tumbling out of the compartment. He smacked hard against the railing and then the track before collapsing bonelessly on the cold ground beside it. The train rushed on as he lay there unmoving.

For a long moment none could say anything, the three teenagers simply watching as his body grew smaller in the distance.

"... oh my, I do hope that was his stop..." Willow murmured.

Ban, sitting up on his knees, gave her an incredulous look, unsure if she was being serious. On her other side, Meiling mirrored his expression.

Then, remembering their injured mentor, the trio quickly returned to Rohan's side. He slumped against the wall of the compartment, unable to support his weight. Ban grasped his shoulder to help steady Rohan.

"Rohan, what happened?" asked Ban.

"Yeah, who the heck was that?" added Meiling quickly.

"You're bleeding..." Ban said, spotting the injury as if for the first time, pressing a hand to Rohan's side in an effort to staunch the flow of crimson fluid.

Knowing his time was limited, the aged master shook his head, unwilling to answer his questions. His body was aged greatly but his mind was still keen, and he'd come to a most horrible conclusion shortly before the would be exploding man had blown the train and the new Avatar clean off the tracks.

"You have to get off the train," Rohan was saying. "Before the next stop. They'll be waiting for you there."

"Who? Who'll be waiting?"

"... the White Lotus is compromised..." Rohan breathed out. "They were the only ones who knew... you can't trust them... someone is watching... someone... someone _knows_..."

"Rohan..."

The aged master grabbed Ban's arm with a surprisingly strong grip. "No, Ban, _listen to me_... it's too late for me... but you... you have to live... don't go to Ba Sing Se... find... find the... find the _Third_..."

There was a hitch, a minor bump in the track, but it seemed to make poor Rohan's frame shudder. Ban blinked, unsure of what he was seeing. Between one breath and the next... in the blink of an eye... Rohan was gone.

Willow lifted her hands to her mouth, eyes watery, and Meiling was silent as the grave, unable to do anything but stare. For his own part, Ban felt as if his heart had simply stopped, he couldn't breathe, couldn't process anything. He'd never in his entire life been so close to death, and witnessing its awesome and terrible power left him briefly speechless.

For a long while, none of them could say anything, then there was a brief flash of light, probably a railway lamp passing outside the window. Whatever it was, it seemed to jolt Ban out of his reverie, and he reached desperately for something to cling onto. He settled for Rohan's final instructions.

"Let's get back to the compartment..." he said, taking Meiling's shoulders and gently pulling her away from Rohan.

Willow nodded, already rising to her feet. "I'll go get my things," she said, her voice wavering only a little. Considering what she'd just witnessed, it would be less surprising if she was to break down right here and now. But she was evidently made of tougher stuff than that.

"... Mei... Mei we have to go..."

Meiling blinked, shaking her head, rubbing at her eyes as she found them uncomfortably moist. "What're you talking about?"

"You heard him. It's best to listen to grandfather," Willow said, eerily calm despite the circumstances.

"What're... no, that's crazy! Come on, we've gotta get him to a hospital! Then go to the police!" her voice was starting to rise, and Ban quickly slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Shhh! We don't know if there were more on the train!"

Her eyes widened in realization, and then darted around, as if half-expecting more attackers to come pouring out of the next compartment. Or worse, smash right in through the windows and walls of the train. Swiftly, the three of them made their way aft, back the way they'd came. Willow guided them back to their compartment, where everyone took a moment to change out of their nightwear into more practical dayware, pulling on shirts and jackets, lacing up shoes and sandals, and shouldering backpacks.

Jiao, having been fast asleep on the floor, now bolted to his feet. He was silent, however, perhaps sensing his master's mood, and only watched anxiously as they prepared to leave.

Meiling, while freaked, was still clinging to the idea they could stop at the next station and get help, but Willow seemed determined to follow her grandfathers final wishes. She was making preparations, gathering up their meager possessions and preparing to leave. Ban did the same, but his body was on autopilot, his mind not quite caught up to the circumstances surrounding them.

Finally, the three of them were ready.

Moving between compartments and further down the train, they stepped up to the end of the vehicle at the very last compartment, known in railway terms as the caboose. A narrow railing separated them from the rushing track, and Ban felt a hesitation fill him. This was insane, they couldn't possibly get off the train until it reached the station. But if they did, there was no doubt in his mind they wouldn't get far. Whoever had come after Rohan hadn't been after the aged air master, that much was obvious even to Ban.

They'd been after _him_.

"We'll have to jump," he said, eyeing the sides of the track and looking for somewhere suitable.

"We can aim for the grass," Willow said, pointing off to a little ways down, just off the track. "That looks softer."

Ban nodded, glancing back at the third member of their party, who was still struggling to form a sentence.

"Wait, no, we can't... we... we can't... we have... have to... Ban, we can't just leave him!"

He didn't want to, he truly didn't, but they had no choice. Hopefully, whoever discovered his body at the next station would be able to return it to his family. Rohan's wallet and his ID would tell the police who he was. For their part, the door at the other end of the compartment was opening, and he couldn't be sure if it was worried travelers, train conductors, or more assassins.

He had to make a choice, and he made it.

"... we have to go NOW," he insisted, and grabbed Meiling by the scruff of her shirt. His other arm encircled Willow. She offered no protest, unlike the blonde firebender, as Ban threw the three of them bodily forward, timing it just right to avoid a telephone pole and tumbling down into a patch of relatively soft grass and dirt. The three of them went rolling down the hill.

Determined not to be left behind, Jiao gave a yip and hopped off the train, landing on all fours with considerably greater ease than his human compatriots. Ban, Willow, and Meiling managed to climb to their feet as the train speeded down the mag rail without them. Within mere minutes it was well out of reach. A short while later, it was out of sight altogether.

They were on their own now.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you've enjoyed.

Willow is easily one of my favorite characters that I came up with for this story. Hypothetically voiced by Nicole Oliver. When I conceived the initial idea of her, everything else fell into place with frightening ease, and more built from there. I've actually had to tone her down a lot otherwise she'd steal every scene she was in. For those worried she's handled her grandfather's death a little too well, fret not, that will be explored later on.

There's artwork of the Next Team Avatar up on deviantart, on DKStudios05 profile. Check it out. It includes their not-yet-introduced fourth member.

I'd planned it from the get go for Ban and his friends are going to have their support system cut out from underneath them, and forced to go it alone. A little help in the form of this mysterious 'Third' will keep them from being totally lost, but now they've got an enemy, a mystery, and are on the run. If anything, it's worse than Aang's era, when you could identify the enemy, and Korra's, when you had the general population on your side. Now, they have no idea who to trust.

Next time: Wrong Side of the Tracks.


	4. B1 C04 Wrong Side of the Tracks

" _We were outnumbered ten to one, but we fought back anyway._ "  
\- **Haru of the Earth Kingdom.**

* * *

Stumbling across the empty landscape, Ban, Meiling and Willow found their way to a nearby town and slipped in amongst its buildings shortly before dawn, when the skyline on the horizon was starting to lighten.

They kept to the alleyways and the back streets, staying out of sight. Even though they were exhausted from the long night's walk, they kept on going, putting one foot in front of the other. If pressed, they wouldn't have even known where they were going.

Just... forward.

Ban paused by an intersection as he realized this, rubbing his eyes and giving a sigh, realizing just how tired he was. It was almost morning now, and they hadn't had a good night's sleep. His rumbling stomach also told him it was high time for breakfast, but he wasn't sure what to do about that either.

Mixed in with his hunger, however, was a sense of nausea.

Having never been outside of Zaofu in his life, Ban wasn't fully prepared for just how _disgusting_ the outside world was. The city of the Metal Clan hadn't exactly been pristine, but it had been largely litter free, and its gardens and trees lovingly maintained, if not professionally so. Its buildings were designed to last for generations, every structure perfectly crafted for its inhabitants needs with the most modern of architectures and technologies.

But here, this place... there was refuse everywhere. Liter on the ground, the occasional newspaper blowing in the breeze. Even as he watched, a passerby stuck some chewing gum in his mouth and tossed the wrapper aside onto the ground. Mere _feet_ away from a trash can put there specifically for that purpose. Ban didn't quite gawk, but he did stare, wondering just what sort of people could live in such filth. The buildings were crumbling, bricked up and falling on hard times. Some of them visibly sagged, leaning one way or another, or else had shingled roofs covered in ugly metal plates to keep them waterproof. Some of the vehicles lining the streets were the same way, rusted by age, missing wheels and up on cinder blocks, or else painted garish colors in an attempt to revitalize.

And it stunk.

It stunk to the heavens and probably far higher even than that, the filthy garbage, the unwashed bodies, the raw sewage that didn't seem quite contained well enough beneath ground in the antiquated sewer system. Ban waved in front of his face, trying to dispel the odor, but it followed them everywhere.

Pausing at the intersection and taking a good look around, Ban guessed they were at the threshold of a housing district and the main part of town. Probably a good place to find businesses, whatever they could be looking for.

"Let's get some breakfast..." he said, walking forward, looking for a sign that indicated a suitable restaurant or fast food location.

"Do you have any money?" Willow inquired. Her dress had no pockets, and she had no yuans in the purse resting across her shoulder.

"Uhm, some," Meiling replied, patting the back pocket of her skirt and reaching for her wallet.

Ban, of course, one-upped her as he opened up his wallet and showed his Cabbage Credit Card, or Triple-C. "Mom and Dad gave me this for emergencies... I'd say this counts."

"Breakfast on you then," Meiling said, smiling for the first time in what felt like far too long.

He almost managed to smile at that, but couldn't quite manage. After everything that had just happened, he wondered if he'd ever be able to smile again.

* * *

For breakfast, they settled into a booth at a local Jasmine Dragon, which was already bustling with activity early in the morning. Though its primary sale was in tea, it also had a number of breakfast items and snacks suitable for consumption. Ban took their order while Willow and Meiling grabbed a booth in the corner, well removed from the general populace. Thankfully, most weren't staying to eat, they just grabbed their tea to go.

Jiao had to stay outside, the owner didn't tolerate pets, but he'd been leashed up by a nearby water hydrant and was still visible from the window, so Ban wasn't overly worried about him.

After eating in relative quiet, the two girls turned to Ban, and Meiling popped the inevitable question.

"What do we do now?"

"... I don't know," Ban said, then looked up, realizing both sets of eyes were on him. They weren't just asking each other, they were looking to him for guidance. "Rohan was the one with the..." And there, a fresh wave of despair rolled over him, the pain fresh once more. "Oh no, Willow... your grandfather."

He half-expected her to be teary-eyed and morose, but she looked oddly serene as she reached across the table to pat his arm gently. "It's okay, Ban..."

"But he's..."

She nodded, eyes half-closed. "I know, grandfather's gone. He died saving us."

"He died a hero," Ban said, half to himself, still reconciling the fact. "Protecting the... the Avatar."

His voice dropped at the last word, and he glanced around nervously. The tea shop was a bustle of early morning activity, but everywhere he looked, everything seemed perfectly normal. Instead of reassuring Ban, however, it only made him more nervous. Whoever was after them could be anyone, could be anywhere, could be right beside them and they would never know until it was too late.

"We can't go home," he decided, speaking aloud, sharing his thoughts with the girls. "Whoever came after us on the train knew we were there. They knew where to find us."

"How?" asked Meiling.

"... I don't know," he replied. "Nobody else knew about our trip except Rohan and the White Lotus... maybe they followed us from Zaofu."

Meiling shook her head, blonde ponytail bobbing behind her. "Maybe someone in the White Lotus was the leak?"

"Leak?"

"It's what they call someone who sells out information," Meiling said. "I saw it in a mover once."

"I know what it means," he replied grimly. He'd watched his fair share of movers too, and read some novels on espionage before. "It just doesn't sound right though, I mean... the White Lotus? They're the most noble organization in the world. They help impoverished nations and refugees and run blood drives... and they provide funding for old temples and colleges... they're not some secret spy organization."

"They _are_ kinda secret," Meiling argued. "They told you to keep yourself secret, didn't they?"

"And a great lot of good that did," Ban said, feeling his hands grow cold. He held his tea cup to warm them up, though he still felt a shiver run down his spine. Meiling was making a lot of sense. Even if the whole of the White Lotus was more benign and noble, it could still have members willing to sell secrets for greater gain. Or worse, infiltrators who were waiting for the exact moment they found the Avatar in order to...

Ban didn't even want to think about that.

"We can't go home," he repeated. "So we need to keep moving."

"Moving where?" Meiling replied.

"Grandfather said to find the Third... we should do that," replied Willow airily. She hadn't touched her tea.

"Whoever that is... must be someone we can trust," Ban said. "If Rohan suspected the White Lotus was compromised, that's who we can trust too. So we find them."

She tossed back the last of her drink noisily before replying. "And... how do we go about doing that?"

"... I don't know," Ban said. "The Third isn't a lot to go on... maybe for now we should just lay low. Maybe... maybe this'll all blow over?"

His voice cracked faintly with his last question, and Meiling and Willow exchanged a look. None of them believed that for a minute, not really, but for a moment, they let themselves hope it could be true.

* * *

With no reliable, secure means to contact home or meet with members of the White Lotus, Ban suggested they rent a hotel room for the next few nights and try to sort things out there, using it as a sort of home base they could all retreat to if they got separated or lost. So they immediately went to the nearest public hotel they could find and rented a room. Paid for of course by Ban's Cabbage Credit Card.

"Everywhere I am," he murmured, reciting the card's infamous slogan. It was from an old VV commercial.

It wasn't a very big room, but it had two beds, and a fold out screen they could use to separate it into a girl's side and a boy's side. They'd just settled in when there came a knock at the door. Ban was just re-emerged from answering nature's call in the bathroom.

"That must be room service," Meiling said with a cat-like grin.

He frowned at her, clearly not pleased. "Mei! You can't just order up anything, we're on a budget, my three-C only has enough for like..."

Opening the door, Ban didn't see friendly wait staff with their room service. Instead, he saw a trio of policemen, and froze instantly in the doorway. Despite not having done anything wrong, he immediately panicked, wondering just what could have brought them to his doorstep. And in that moment of hesitation, they struck. Well coordinated and disciplined, the policemen moved into the room, snapping cuffs on Ban's wrists and softly pushing him up against the wall. Before he knew it he was handcuffed behind his back. Meiling hit the wall beside him a moment later, similarly cuffed.

"Ban Beifong? We need you to come with us."

* * *

They were taken into a police car and hauled into the station. All the while, Meiling was cursing up a storm, while Ban just sort of sat numbly beside her. One of the cops had tried to grab Jiao as well, but the slippery eel-hound pup had escaped as soon as the door was open, for which Ban was grateful. While he missed Jiao, he'd be safer out on the streets than with the police. They might try to put him down, and he couldn't bear dealing with that.

Idly he tuned himself back into the present, and noted Meiling hadn't stopped talking. She did seem lowering the volume of her shouting, however. Perhaps she was running out of steam.

"This is outrageous!" Meiling hollered. "I demand my lawyer!"

"Do you even have a lawyer?" asked the policewoman standing beside her, holding her shoulder.

That brought Meiling up short. "No," she admitted. "But I know I have the right to one! Its Earth Kingdom law! Now you listen to me!"

"I think we've listened to you quite enough," said another cop, behind the desk, who seemed to be taking all this down. He looked to be someone of authority, possibly a senior officer, though Ban couldn't identify his rank. Even so, he seemed to be the one to talk to. So before Meiling could launch into another tirade, Ban cautiously made his way to the desk.

"Sir, pardon me, but my friend is right, this must be some misunderstanding..."

"Name..."

"Uh, it's Ban sir, look I..."

"Last Name," the desk sergeant said, reading off the list of questions in front of him. He didn't even look up at Ban as he approached.

"... Beifong, sir," Ban said. "Ban Beifong."

If he'd hoped the family name would hold some influence, it seemed he was mistaken. The desk sergeant barely paid any notice of it. Indeed, he continued to sound as if he was thoroughly bored as he took the rest of their information down, including rest of Ban's information, then the girls names, ages, and places of origin.

They also confiscated their backpacks, purses, and even their wallets. Meiling fumed angrily as she watched the brand new bag she'd acquired that very day get upended to sift through its contents, pawing through the clothes there as if hoping to find contraband hidden amongst them.

"What are we even charged with?" asked Ban, hoping to ease into more comfortable territory.

"Theft," grumbled one of the policemen.

"Your card was reported as stolen," the desk sergeant added.

"That's absurd," Ban protested, grabbing it off his desk. "It's got my name on it, look!"

The desk sergeant pushed the card away when Ban tried to shove it into his face, looking only vaguely annoyed. "I don't have any guarantee that's you..."

"Check the learners permit then!"

He glanced down at the other items from Ban's wallet they'd confiscated. His face and name shined up from the card that said he was indeed licensed to drive, albeit with supervision, and even the desk sergeant could not argue that the young man in question was standing before him. But even so...

"You might've stolen that too," was all he said, closing his book. "Put them in holding for now," he informed the other officers.

"Are you completely stupid?!" Meiling said, struggling against the iron hard grip on her shoulder. "You know that's him! Look at the photo! LOOK AT THE PHOTO!"

Ban was more subdued as the officers dragged him away, and Willow didn't even seem to quite grasp she was in trouble, following along the officer as obediently as a lost puppy dog. The three of them were ushered through one locked door after another until they were led into an adjacent room full of big metal bars, dividing the area up into separate holding areas. Most of them were empty, except for a single other prisoner. But Ban had no time to focus on that right now as the door was unlocked and he, Meiling, and Willow were shoved roughly inside. Instinctively reacting to a threat, his body turned to grab the door and open it back up, but they'd already shut it and locked it in his face.

"This isn't right," Ban said.

"Tell it to someone who cares, kid," muttered the policeman who locked them in, before turning to leave, hanging the keys to the cell on the wall beside the door. Well out of the reach of anyone on the wrong side of the bars.

Meiling pulled on the bars of the cage by sheer stubborn instinct, but they were solid iron, and immovable to all but a metalbender.

"Lousy rotten insufferable..." she muttered angrily. Then, a thought came to her, and her head jerked up. "This feels suspiciously set-up..." Meiling remarked.

Nodding absent-mindedly, Ban was inclined to agree. No cop, no matter how lazy or corrupt, should have been able to get away with what had just been pulled just now. This had been deliberate. For a moment he wasn't sure if it had been wise to reveal who he was, but he hadn't had much choice at the time. And in any case, damage already done.

"They must be working with the man who tried to blow up the train tracks," he said, running a hand against the bars of the cell, looking for weak spots. Nothing. The bars were solid. And while he was an earthbender, and the Avatar to boot, he barely knew how to move rock. He had absolutely no idea on how to bend metal.

"But how?" asked Willow, puzzled.

"How what?" repeated Meiling, confused.

"How did they find us... we didn't call anyone... no one could possibly know we were here..." his voice trailed off as a horrible thought dawned on him, and he pressed a hand to his pocket, where his wallet had been.

"The three-C!" Meiling said, snapping her fingers and pointing. "They're tracking your cabbage credit card!"

"Hey!"

The call came from the cell adjacent to theirs, separated by another row of bars. In it was another prisoner, a dark-skinned youth with long dreadlocks braided down the back of his head. If Ban had to guess, he'd estimate his age at very late teens, possibly even young adult ready to make his way in the world. His coloration suggested Water Tribe, though his clothes looked a little more rough and worn than most, the dull blue of his hoodie faded to an almost navy coloration, and his pants practically black. A short chain emerged from one of his pockets before connecting to his belt, Ban had seen some in Zaofu who used those to protect their wallets from being stolen.

"Keep it down, will ya? Some of us are trying to sleep here."

Spotting the look in her eyes, Ban swiftly drew Meiling back before she could launch into an angry tirade. "Sorry," he apologized to the other prisoner, hoping to defuse the situation. The last thing they needed was criminals working against them as well.

* * *

It was almost an hour later before they finally had company again, another pair of policemen coming in and checking the rosters on the wall. One them pulled down the clipboard while another decided to just cut to the chase.

"Ban Beifong? Do we have a Ban Beifong here?"

"Over here sir!" Ban called out, knocking a hand against the iron bars of his cell. "I'm Ban Beifong. Are you here to release us?"

The two men, big, brutish fellows who barely fit into their uniforms, exchanged a look. "You could say that."

Recoiling instinctively, the young Avatar took a good look at the two men. They were dressed like the police from earlier, same uniforms, same belts with cuffs and night sticks and even the same shiny metal badges. But apart from that, they didn't look like cops. Their hair was rough and uneven, and too long, and they had a loping sort of gait, not like the military march police subconsciously tended to develop. They looked like cops, but not up close.

These weren't policemen.

They were enemies.

Ban stepped away from the cage. "Who are you?"

The bigger one smiled. "That's not your concern, little boy. Now just come on here, and we'll take good care of you..."

"What about our lawyer?" Ban asked, seizing onto a legal technicality. And one he'd admittedly seen on VarriVision. "I know my rights, I'm an Earth Kingdom citizen... we're entitled to a phone call..."

"The only thing you're entitled to, brat, is a very slow..." he reached down into his pocket. "... and very painful..." and drew something out. "... death..."

It was a medical syringe, like the sort non-waterbenders used to sedate patients. But whatever was in that syringe, Ban had a feeling he had no desire to feel it pumping through his veins.

"Time to put this brat down," said the other cop, laughing darkly. He unlocked the cell door and opened it wide. Ban stepped back, shielding the girls with his arms. Hoping they'd leave them alone, since they were after him, not them.

"Good thing they didn't tell us we have the right to remain silent!" Meiling said, throwing up her foot and swinging it down hard. "FLAME KICK!"

The resultant fire arc wasn't exactly spectacular, but it got results, forcing the two false policemen back, and knocking the syringe out of the first one's hands. It shattered on the ground, spilling its clear contents all over the floor.

"Flame Kick? Really?"

"It's a work in progress!"

Ban swiftly moved to try and incapacitate the nearer one with some chi-blocks, but he was more than aply prepared, dodging aside a strike and cuffing Ban upside the head, knocking him back. His partner swiftly threw himself at Meiling, knocking her down. She may have been tough, and a firebender to boot, but she was still only a sixteen year old girl, and on the smaller side than most. His sheer strength and weight overpowered her, pinning her up against a wall.

"Let her go!"

A burst of wind struck the man's shoulder, throwing him off of Meiling. Willow followed it up with an airbending palm strike that was aimed for his head, hoping to render him unconscious. However, he proved too swift to strike, ducking underneath her swing and moving swiftly to grab her slender arm, pulling it behind her back and throwing his much larger, heavier arm around her throat, cutting off her air. Willow gasped as her eyes fluttered, unable to draw breath.

"Beifong! You come with us easy like or we're going to break the girls neck!"

All fighting instantly ceased.

"Don't hurt her!" Ban said, hands upraised to show he meant no harm. "I surrender."

"Smart move, kid," muttered the first false cop, reaching into his jacket, searching for something. Possibly a pair of handcuffs. Or another syringe.

The second policeman maintained his hold of Willow, as Ban reluctantly stepped forward. As he did, however, he noted the first man's position, right in front of the bars separating cells from one another. And behind him, smoothly rising to his feet, was the dreadlocked boy from before. The other prisoner caught Ban's eye, and tilted his head subtly. His hands shifted on the bars, and Ban caught the jist of his meaning in that simple movement.

"Alright, we'll come..." Ban started to said, in a deceptively mild tone of voice, before suddenly thrusting forward on his feet and slamming his elbow into the false policeman's chest, knocking him back. He slammed into the bars, and the prisoner thrust his arms through the bars, locking them around the cop's neck and head, holding him tight. He was big, and he was tough, but his positioning was all wrong, and he was held fast. Ban threw a chi-blocking strike at his arms and legs, however, to ensure he wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Willow took the opportunity to slip out of her assailants grip and threw an airbending push with her hands, throwing him up against the wall and rendering him unconscious. Meiling scooped the keys off of his belt and unlocked their cell.

"Jailbreak!" she declared, as loudly as she dared. Willow and Ban were right behind her as they swiftly locked their assailant in the cell in their place, then headed for the back exit.

"Hey!"

It was the other prisoner, having released his captive, now clinging to the bars, hand outstretched, reaching for them. Meiling belatedly realized she still had the keys in her hands. She looked to Ban for guidance.

Options were limited, but foremost in his mind was that the prisoner had just saved their lives.

"Get him out," he instructed Meiling, glancing down the hallway and checking for more police. Meiling quickly did as requested, unlocking the cell, leaving the keys behind as she pulled the barred door open for him.

"Thanks," the other prisoner said, though he seemed to be addressing Ban more than Meiling. A commotion further down the hallway caused his head to snap up. Nothing coming their way, but sounds of activity. "We don't have long before they come for us... come with me. I know a place we can lay low for a while."

Finding a nearby table, he shoved it up against the wall, climbing atop of it moments later and prying open the window. Unlike the barred ones that had lined the cells, this one was free of such obstructions, though it helped they were on the second floor of the police station. Peering out the window, the street teen spotted a pipe that could be used to shimmy down the side of the building.

"We'll get out this way," he said.

Ban was about to follow when Meiling stopped him. "Is it smart of us to be going anywhere with a low life?"

"Who you callin' low life, short stuff?"

"SHORT?! I'm average height for a girl my age!"

He gave her a look that plainly said he didn't believe her, and Meiling fumed, eyes narrowing as her blonde ponytail seemed to take on a life of its own, spiking out sharply behind her.

"Oh you are so asking for a Flaming Hand of Firey-...!"

Ban cut her off, quickly grabbing her shoulder and gently pushing her forward. Willow had already slipped through the window. Ryuku was standing at the bottom ready to catch her, but she drifted to the ground as lightly as a feather, leaving him dumbfounded.

"Come on, we have to go," Ban said, coaxing her through the narrow exit. She grabbed the piping on the side of the building to aid her descent, trying not to think of how unfortunate she was to be wearing a skirt in this situation.

"But...!" she protested, as he gently pushed her through the window.

"We don't exactly have many choices," Ban pointed out, then followed.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you've enjoyed.

Cabbage Credit Cards are obviously a product of Cabbage Corp, which has been on a decline in recent years. But they managed to secure their future with the equivalent of our worlds credit cards. Everywhere the merchant goes... er I mean, everywhere you wanna be.

We also have a passing mention of VarriVision, the full proper term that Meiling referred to as 'VV' previously. The Avatar world's equivalent to Television and the TV. Made by none other than, you guessed it, Iknik Blackstone Varrick, who after getting married and having a family went into the entertainment industry for the sake of his kids. Making more movers and steadily improving quality and availability until they could have it available in (almost) every home.

And here we first meet Ryuku Kuruk, who'll receive his proper introduction next chapter. Team Avatar has completed its elemental set, and is ready to ride. I picture him with the voice of Yuri Lowenthal.

Next Time: Book One, Chapter Five, Kuviraville.


	5. B1 C05 Kuviraville

" _We've been presented with a rare opportunity here._ "  
\- **Princess Azula**.

* * *

"Ryuku," the young man introduced himself. It was easily the first thing he'd said since they'd escaped police headquarters.

"Guessing that's your name," Meiling remarked.

"Guessing right," he replied, doing his best to ignore her. The two of them weren't getting along well, Ban noted. Their respective attitudes were both confrontational, and neither liked that about the other.

"I'm Ban," he said, feeling a need to break up some of the tension. "This is Meiling and Willow."

"Thanks for saving my walrus jerky," he replied, not looking back at them. He'd paused at an alleyway opening, his focus was on the road ahead. After a moment, he apparently seemed satisfied with what he saw, swiftly moved on.

They'd been moving like that for some time now. Every so often, every few blocks, Ryuku would pause, peer down the way they were going, check the windows and streets and doors and determine if it was safe to go on. Or he'd spot something he didn't like and they'd backtrack down another way. Ban had no idea what he was looking for, though he was also keeping an eye out for signs of the police, the distinctive flash of red and blue or the ominous sirens. But they hadn't seen so much as a badge since their escape.

"Where're we going?" ventured Meiling after a moment.

Ryuku glanced back at her, looking surprised she was still there. " _I'm_ getting out of dodge," he replied. "I don't care where _you_ go."

"We just need somewhere to lay low for a little bit," Ban said diplomatically. "Can you help us?"

He frowned, shifting his feet uncomfortably, but ultimately nodded. "I guess I owe you for the prison break. Alright, follow me, and keep quiet... I know a place."

* * *

A place, as it turned out, wasn't exactly a five flower hotel.

Ryuku led them across town and into what could only charitably be called the ghetto and slums, where buildings were in even worse repair than the majority of Laoling. Many were outright condemned, and those that weren't were boarded up and closed off. Still, that didn't seem to stop people from trying to live in or around them. The further into the district the went the more people they went. Unfortunately, not the well off kind.

Vagrants, homeless, and destitute populated the streets.

Patched up in whatever clothes they could muster, they struggled to eke out a meager existence hiding from the watchful eyes of society here, in the cities seedy underbelly. Non-benders shared space with regular benders, neither able to find work or afford their homes, all with a sort of lost, terrible look in their eyes. There was a trio of them in the next alleyway mouth, shivering in old rags. One of them, evidently a firebender, was keeping a flame burning in the palm of his hand, using it to keep them warm. One beside him, however, reached into his jacket for a small pouch. Untying the knot, he poured its contents into his hand: a scattering of silvery dust that looked vaguely like crystals. They caught the light of the nearby fire, shining in a multitude of colors like a rainbow.

After a moment, he pulled it up to his nose and inhaled, snorting up the dust and groaning in a euphoric fashion. Ban felt his stomach churn at the sight of it, ushering his compatriots past the mouth of the alleyway and down the next street.

"What's that?" asked Meiling curiously, lingering by the entryway a moment longer before Ban reached out and grabbed her wrist, drawing her along.

Ryuku glanced up long enough to confirm, then snorted in distgust. "Stardust."

"Stardust?"

"It's a drug," Ban explained. "They taught us about it in health class, remember?"

A light bulb seemed to go off above Meiling's head. "Oh yeah... that class was so boring. So was that video." The lamp post above her flickered as it struggled to turn on, thanks to the dim lighting of the setting sun.

Ban couldn't argue with that. Worst acting he'd ever seen, and he'd seen his grandfather's old movers from back in the day. "Stardust is supposed to be a chemical enhancer mixed with elements from the spirit world," he explained to Meiling. "It's a mild hallucinogenic, but it grants benders a tremendous boost to their abilities. But the side effects..."

"... ain't pretty," Ryuku added, nodding down the next alleyway.

There were more people there, and not in very good shape. Despite the warm air, most of them looked still dressed for colder seasons and climates, bundled up in multiple layers and shivering. Their hands were shaking too, and the overall look of most of the homeless individuals was gaunt and uncomfortably pale. Ban and the others followed Ryuku, stepping around the homeless druggies, who scarcely paid them more than a cursory look.

* * *

Eventually, they reached a part of the lower city that seemed more secure, lots of big concrete walls and roads, heavy, sturdy buildings. It looked like it was part of some sort of industrial complex. There were still more than a few homeless to be found here, however. Sleeping on piles of clothes or huddled up beside camp fires. Some were lucky to have tents, others sheltered themselves in cardboard boxes.

"What is this place?" asked Ban.

"I think it used to be an aqueduct," Ryuku explained. "Back in the day when the river was still flowing. But over time it fell into disrepair and people moved to find better sources of water, and eventually it just got closed down. People started to sleep here over night and before you know it... wham. Instant Kuviraville."

"Kuviraville?" asked Willow, puzzled by the name.

Ban recognized it from his history studies. "I thought all the Kuviraville's got shut down decades back?"

The taller boy shrugged. "Guess this place didn't get the memo. That's what they call it anyway. And in any case, nobody cares what its called. Nobody cares about anything here."

Depressing but, looking around, seeing nothing but broken people and soulless looks, Ban was forced to conclude Ryuku was right. You only went to Kuviraville when you had no where else to go.

* * *

Ryuku led them over to a trash can in which a fire had been lit in, drawing them all around it as he found a seat amongst some old (and stained, Ban noted with some trepidtation) couch cushions. The older boy settled in easily, but the others were more reluctant as they gathered around the makeshift fire for warmth and light. The day was over, and night was settling on the horizon.

In the light of dim embers, everything started to look darker and more ominous, and Ban's thoughts drifted down dark turns. They'd been attacked twice now, and it wouldn't end there. They were after him, and they didn't seem keen on letting up. And he wasn't the only one in danger, either. He turned to his companions. Meiling had been like a sister to him growing up. Willow was off to the side, studying a weed that was growing out of some cracks in the ground.

"I think we might need a new plan," Ban said.

"Yeah, that Cabbage Card is out..." asked Meiling. "We should convert it all to cash then toss it somewhere... hightail it out of here fast as we can afterwards."

"Right now we have to get out of the city. The police will be looking for us."

"Nah, they won't bother you now," Ryuku replied non-challantly. "Kettles don't come to Kuviraville, not for something petty like whatever you did."

Kettles, Ban recalled, was an urban slur against cops because of their dark metal armor. It tended to be used more on corrupt cops, like the old adage: the pot calling the kettle black.

The street boy's words didn't comfort him either. "They'll come after me," the Avatar promised. "The ones in on it will at least."

"In on what?"

Ban glanced at the girls, trying to silently gauge their reaction. But neither seemed to have a concrete opinion to offer him. They'd trusted Ryuku to a point and he hadn't done wrong by them yet... but just because he wasn't in on this conspiracy didn't mean he was completely on the up and up.

In turn, Ryuku studied him. He thought he had Ban and the girls pretty well sized up, but now he thought they were worth a second look. Ryuku prided himself on knowing a potential mark, and being good at sizing up people. Based on looks alone, he'd figured the kids were from the upper crust of society. Maybe not quite rich, but well off middle class at the very least. Clothes their size, no hand me downs or cast-offs, and reasonably well maintained. Only a little scuffed, and that from recent events more than anything else. Plus, their hands were uncalloused and their nails were perfect length. They hadn't done a day's hard work in their lives. They hadn't scavenger for their food or fought for their lives.

But...

The more Ryuku looked, the more he did see something... off... about Ban. Something about his eyes. The color itself was remarkable, the golden shade more commonly found in Fire Nationals, but given how much bloodlines were mixing these days features were doing the same all across the world.

But more than the color... there was something there. His eyes looked old. Too old for a kid two years Ryuku's junior.

"Just what did you do?" Ryuku asked quietly.

Giving a humorless chuckle, Ban shrugged. "I was born, if you can believe that."

Dodging Ryuku's question, but the street waterbender gave a humorless chuckle, leaving it at that. If the kid didn't want to reveal his secrets, that was fine by him. "Whatever. Trust me, you're safe here."

Ban shook his head. "Trust me, we're not... but we'll have to stay the night anyway, it's too dark to get going now."

"Plus we don't know the streets here very well," Meiling said, somewhat miffed. She knew Zaofu like the back of her hand, but Laoling was wholly new territory. "We'll get lost for sure."

"Will you show us the way in the morning?" Willow asked, looking up from the weed.

Ryuku glanced at her, dreadlocks swinging around the back of his head. "Why?"

"... 'cause it'd be way cool of you to do so?" she replied, blinking her great silvery eyes.

"What gave you the impression I'm a _way cool_ sort of person?" Ryuku said, folding his arms and leaning back against the cushion on which he sat, scowling.

"Your aura," she said with a smile.

That caught him mildly off-guard, though his scowl only deepened in confusion. "What?"

"It's not important," Ban said, not wishing to irritate the older boy. "Look you've done enough for us, we'll manage on our own. Thank you for your help."

"... no problem."

"Let's just get some sleep for now," Ban suggested to Meiling and Willow.

"Sounds good to me," Meiling said, muffling a yawn with her hand. "Good-night."

"Good-night," whispered Willow with a dip of her head.

Mentioning sleep seemed the trigger to let all of todays exertions come catching up all at once, and even Meiling's boundless energy had reached its limited, as she stifled another yawn. Belatedly, she looked around for something suitable to use as a pillow and blanket, though she didn't hold out hopes for much considering their location. Ban did the same. To their surprise, Willow was already asleep, using a newspaper as a makeshift blanket. The article on the front read: ' **Project Yue** ' in big letters and in smaller font below it ' **Space Program Experiences Delays**.'

Grumbling, Meiling tried to find a cushion that was at least stain-free, laying her head down on it and tucking her legs and arms close to her body, curling up to conserve body heat. Ban lay down beside her, and little Jiao padded up by his side. He gave a soft whine, his eyes unnaturally large as he peered up at Ban, perhaps hoping for a treat. He must have been hungry after the past few days they'd had.

"I know boy," he said, patting the poor little eel-hound on its head. "We'll find something soon, I promise, but for now you just gotta tough it out."

Seemingly understanding, Jiao walked in a circle three times before plopping down on the ground by Ban's side, cuddling up against him for warmth. Ban draped an arm gently over the scaly beast's back, listening to its slow breathing, and did his best to fall asleep as well.

Tomorrow, they had to get moving early, or it would be too late.

* * *

While night time was usually the time of sleep for honest, hard-working men and women, to say nothing of most high school students, wanderers and Avatars, the setting of the sun had a different meaning for some. When the moon rose and the stars came out, it became a time of criminals and thieves and worse. They pursued their work under cover of darkness, away from the prying eyes of society.

Not too far from Kuviraville, still in the seedy underbelly of Laoling city, there was a district of what could politely be called 'dens of inequity' or more accurately, gambling establishments. They'd always had a certain appeal throughout the world but of late gambling had come under scrutiny from local figures of authority, as well as morally outraged spiritual leaders and family heads. As a result, the governments of the world had been quietly pushing them away from the main streets and hubs and into darker venues. Here, one such location could be found: The Lucky Lemur.

Inside was your standard fare, some men playing dice in a corner, another few working around a pool table. The VV above the bar was busted, it only got one channel, but it was the Pro-Bending season so none of the regulars complained.

But it was all misdemeanor stuff. Behind the bar, in the back room... was where criminal activity was truly taking place.

Half a dozen men had been crammed into the room, none of whom looked alike. Big, tall, short, skinny, overweight, ugly, handsome, well-dressed, dressed in rags. The only commonality seemed to be a decidedly sinister air that clung to them wherever they went. More than a few bore the same tattoo, albeit in different locations on their body: a green dragon.

For that is who they were. The Green Dragon Triad.

The door slammed open, and they all instantly hushed. Their boss had arrived. And she was not happy.

Stepping through the doorway was a woman of average height, perhaps five and a half feet tall, and powerful in a way that did nothing to detract from her beauty. Her hair was black, but held a number of dyed green highlights that swept from her temples along either side of her head. The sleeveless shirt helped show off her strong, muscular arms, as well as the celtic tattoos that started at her wrists and ascended all the way up to her shoulders. Complimenting it was a pair of dark leather pants that had been laced up the sides, affording glimpses of her pale legs. She went barefoot in the earthbender tradition.

She was like a diamond. Cold, beautiful, and strong. A grin stretched across her face as she beheld her minions gathered before her.

"Well, what've you got for me boys?"

Her subordinate, a lanky man with a set of glasses resting across his nose, gave her the numbers.

"Sixty-three new customers," he reported. "We, uh, we have had a little difficulty..."

She waved off his concerns, uninterested in excuses so long as the numbers were all there. "Yes, yes, whatever. Continue expanding, and kick up my cut to thirty percent."

Some of the dealers exchanged glances, expressions betraying their inner thoughts. Shock and even a little outraged. Thirty percent was positively criminal. Especially considering the factors involved. One of the dealers stepped forward, a grizzled man with a scar across his nose.

"Boss that's what we're trying to say, the cops are making things tougher. They're demanding bigger cuts before they let us do our work. Thirty percent barely leaves us anything."

"Is that so?" she asked, purring dangerously.

"Look, Jade..."

The name had barely left his mouth before the unfortunate thug found his footing knocked out from underneath him, and a foot slammed into his face, knocking him flat on his back. But instead of withdrawing her leg, she landed instead right on his gut, planting her foot hard on the thug's chest. "I don't recall giving you permission to use my name, Mao. We're _not_ friends. You call me boss, like everybody else does here."

Straightening, but not removing her foot, she cast her steely gaze around the room. "Because I am the boss of this entire operation. You Green Dragons operate under _my_ law. And if I say you kick it up to thirty percent cut, you do it. Or I cut _you_."

She punctuated her remark with an ominous swish of her hand, like a knife.

"Am I making myself clear, dear Mao? Hmmm, am I?" she asked, leaning over him, pressing her face very close to his. He recoiled instinctively, but he couldn't exactly move with her holding him down.

The door to the front swung open, and another of Jade's subordinates came in. "Boss? Cops are here," he reported. "They say they're looking for you."

The unsavory lowlifes exchanged glances, suddenly nervous. All of them were criminals, many had already spent time in jail thanks to their activities. Cops were the last thing they wanted here right now. For her part, Jade barely glanced up.

"Tell them to buzz off," she retorted, still glaring down at Mao.

"They say its vital," he said in a shaking tone. His legs were shaking too. Clearly he was caught between two things that frightened him most, and he wasn't quite sure which one he'd rather deal with: an angry boss like Jade, or cuff-happy cops ready to haul him to jail.

Pinching her brow and giving a long suffering sigh, Jade straightened up and swept her cold gaze across the room.

"Get out. **ALL OF YOU**!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Her subordinates abandoned the hideout like spider-rats from a sinking ship. Two slipped past the cops coming in as quickly as they could, who barely paid them a passing glance.

"And take this _refuse_ with you!" she added, removing her foot from Mao and giving him a chance to crawl to his feet... before booting him in the backside to get him moving. He and the other Green Dragons vanished like cockroaches in the light. So did the subordinates the lead cop had brought with him. Leaving only Jade and him behind. The very same desk sergeant who had overseen the processing of Ban Beifong and his friends earlier this same day.

Swift as flicking a light switch, Jade's scowl vanished, replaced with a false smile and a sweet tone. "Sargeant Jin... welcome to my humble establishment, whatever can I do for you?"

He grimaced uncomfortably at her tone. "Miss Li Xa..."

"Jade, to my friends," she said, leaning against his arm flirtatiously. "You know we're great friends, right? Best of friends, even."

He evidently didn't, because he looked distinctly nervous as she ran her finger along his chestplate, right beside his badge. "Uh, sure..."

"I mean, best friends help each other out... like when I gave the tip to your boys to pick up the Avatar kid..."

"Look, Jade, I..."

"Shhhhhhhh..." she lifted up the finger to press against his lips, silencing him. "And you do it and I figured, what the heck, why don't I send some of my boys to finish him off for you? I mean, you asked so very nicely, and I guess its not like their feelings will get hurt. They're drug peddlers and all around scum, it won't hurt their feelings. They don't have any!"

She laughed at that, but the sound was cold and hollow, not mirthful. Jin was starting to feel uncomfortably nervous standing beside the Green Dragon Triad's boss, well aware she was leading the conversation towards something unpleasant.

"But, the funny thing is... my boys don't come back and, me I'm just a big ol' softie at heart, so naturally I get worried... and so I go and find that... not only did they fail to get the Avatar... that you... **LOST HIM**!"

Her voice rose in pitch as well as volume, and she grabbed the back of his armor, simultaneously drawing her foot back sharply. The ground lurched underneath the sargeant, slamming him face-first into a table and upending it, knocking Jin to the ground. He rolled over and swiftly climbed to his feet, but she swung her arms around and the floor of the hideout became two great huge stalagmites, which thudded into his shoulders, pinning him against the far wall. Jade pressed her hand against his chestplate to pin him down, just as she'd done to Mao earlier. Unlike before, however, she wasn't even remotely calm. She looked positively murderous.

"You lost the Avatar! Do you have ANY idea what sort of damage he can do to our operation if he isn't brought in... like, I don't know... YESTERDAY?! YOU COMPLETE **IDIOT**!"

"We're looking for him now!" Jin shouted, throwing his hands up to shield his face from Jade. "My men are combing the streets, but we need more manpower... we thought... I thought..."

"You want my help after you've screwed up **_THIS_** BADLY?!"

Her fist came down like a small rocket, slamming into his face. "No! We'll find him ourselves, and deal with him like we should have done before. You incompetent idiots can go suck on a doughnut, or whatever it is kettles do in their free time. Now get out of here before I stuff your head in a hole in the ground and boot your butt into orbit!"

She flicked her wrist, fingers moving in such a way that the stalagmites released him.

He didn't need to be told twice, but she gave him a good kick in the prosterior on the way out as well, angrily screaming the whole time. Even after he was gone, and she was alone, Jade vented. She screamed, she yelled, she picked up the table, lifting it clean over her head and then smashing it down into so much kindling. Only then, after she'd destroyed something properly, did she calm down enough to think.

Releasing a breath, she stood back up straight, smoothing out her unruly locks of hair.

The Avatar boy was a problem. Sure, by himself, Ban wasn't much of a threat, but the Avatar had never cared for criminals like Jade. Sure, the old one hadn't been much of a threat to Triads, she went after bigger Unagi, but Jade wasn't just any Triad boss, she was easily one of the most wanted woman in the entire Earth Kingdom. Her empire may have been consolidated in Laoling, but it stretched far and wide, peddling stardust and blasting jelly, smuggling illicit materials from Republic City to Ba Sing Se and everywhere in between. Laoling was the center of it, the beating heart.

And if the Avatar found her and her operations, they'd ruin everything. Their presence alone could cause Jade's army of thugs and miscreants to scatter like spider-roaches, and her business would suffer as a result.

There was more to it than that, but Jade didn't properly care. She wasn't a spiritual sort, never had faith in any higher power like destiny or fate. Her only deity was cold hard cash, and she intended to die happy after getting a _lot_ of it. Like, more than the legendary coffers of the old Earth Kings.

Scowling, Jade went to inform her network and cast a net to find the Avatar and his friends. And after that, she had a call to make. An old friend owed her a favor, and it was time to cash in.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you've enjoyed.

Some Avatar slang explained. Since the story takes place in a counterpart to our world, and its advanced _almost_ to modern times, slang has begun to pepper the speech of characters, most prominently streetwise Ryuku. Walrus-Jerky is the equivalent of Bacon, hence he's saying thanks for saving his bacon. And the kettles one I explained in-story, having no desire to refer to cops as "pigs" in the traditional sense.

This chapter also introduces an element (pun intended!) I've long intended to visit in Ban's timeline: rampant drug use, trade, and crime. It plays a more significant plot point later on, but for now helps further highlight how different Ban's era is different from Korra's and Aang's. Just because there's no real wars doesn't mean people are happy and content.

Jade Li Xa hypothetically voiced by Grey DeLisle, who always voices the best female psychopaths. She can channel her inner Ming-Hua and Azula for this one.

Next Time: Book One, Chapter Six, On the Run.


	6. B1 C06 On the Run

" _The universe is giving me strong hints that it's time for a career change. I want to join you on your mission._ "  
\- **Ty Lee**.

* * *

Despite intentions to wake early and be gone before it was light out, things did not go quite according to plan. For one thing, it took Ban and Meiling a long while to fall asleep given their uncomfortable surroundings. They couldn't simply plop down in a pile of garbage in some dank alleyway and fall asleep the way Ryuku and (incredibly) Willow could.

The latter had risen early by the time they were up. She was currently crouched by the trashcan fire, feeding it bits of newspaper to keep it going and watching the flames with a detached, curious sort of air to her. Like she could read an answer to their troubles in the fire. How Ban wished that was true. Ryuku, meanwhile, was climbing to his feet and muttering something about taking a piss down in the stream. It was this activity that had stirred Ban to full wakefulness, unable to remain on the cold floor much longer.

As he'd promised Jiao last night, the first thing he did was try and find some food.

His efforts were... questionable at best.

* * *

Meiling eyed the goop hanging from her spoon, and wondered idly just what sort of conditions could make food this profoundly disgusting.

"Uhm... I'll have a big lunch later," she decided, dropping her spoon into the bowl and neatly pushing it aside. Her stomach rumbled in protest, but her mouth cheered at the idea of not having to deal such awfulness.

Besides her, Ban fed Jiao the remains of a half-eaten burger, only partially rotted from having been in the trash, and Willow was finishing off some chips from a bag that hadn't been finished. None of them had seen Ryuku eat when he'd returned, but he seemed to be managing well enough.

Fortunately, he also returned with fresh water. One reason Kuviraville here was so popular with the homeless vagrants was because of its proximity to running water. True, they also used it for less savory, necessary bodily functions, but that just meant they had to collect their drinking water from further upstream.

So Ryuku set down some waterskins in front of each of his newly acquired allies, full to the brim with fresh, drinkable water. They were empty within minutes, and Ban gave a contented sigh as he wiped the back of his mouth. He had no idea plain, simple water could taste so damn good.

"You wanna refill 'em you do it on your own," Ryuku said, sitting down on the couch he'd claimed the previous night. He seemed to be fiddling with his hoodie oddly, adjusting it so it fell naturally about his frame, but Ban noted a number of curious bulges underneath that suggested Ryuku wasn't just hiding a muscular physique under those innocuous clothes.

"Just how much water did you collect?" he asked.

Ryuku barely spared him a glance. "Enough."

Realizing further talk with the boy was uninvited and unwelcome, Ban instead turned back to the girls as they finished their makeshift breakfasts, gathering around a map he spread out on the ground. He'd picked it up out of an open dumpster after finding Jiao some discarded dogfood (or the equivalent, the little eel hound pup wasn't picky). Now he held it down with some rocks and outlined their plan.

"If cops are looking for us, our best bet is to avoid using the main roads," he explained. "But this route seems to take us right around the train station."

"What about back to the hotel?" asked Meiling. "I left some of my stuff there."

"We can't go back there," Ban said. "That's likely the first place they'll look. We can't even use the card to buy anything new. If we do, we'll be tracked. We have to be smart about this."

"That only works if you use the card as cash," Ryuku piped in, having listened to their conversation. "If you use it to withdraw a whole bunch of cash, then pay with yuans, no one can track those."

That hadn't occurred to Ban. "Huh... you're right."

"How much do you have on the card?" asked Meiling.

"Enough for emergencies," Ban replied. "Which we've already spent most of. Well, I guess we can empty it and... go from there."

"And where are we going?" asked Willow.

"Southwest," Ban replied. "If whoever is after me thinks we'll head back along the track to Ba Sing Se, or else Zaofu, then we'd have to go north. So we go the opposite way. At least for now."

Ryuku rolled his eyes. "Kid, look, I promise you, there is no one who could possibly want you that baaaaa-..."

He trailed off as a low rising sound caught his ear. As he stopped talking, they all heard it. So did the various vagrants scattered around Kuviraville. Sirens. Rising in a slow wail before falling again, then rising. Louder this time. Closer. There was no mistaking the sound. It was the police, closing in on their location.

"Oh Monkey F-!" Ryuku started to curse.

* * *

Mercifully, his words were cut short as there came the sound of a door crashing open, and chain links rattling as the whole wall closing off the north side of Kuviraville was knocked down by police satomobiles. Red and blue lights flashed across the compound as everyone seemed to spring to their feet, all confused and befuddled, unsure of which way to run. And they all wanted to run.

A voice came over a megaphone, announcing their presence. "THIS IS THE LPD! EVERYBODY FREEZE!"

And that seemed to be the signal for pandemondium to break out.

About one in every five did as they were told, falling to the ground or against the walls in an effort to placate the police force. Another two out of every five tended to be so drugged out or lifeless they barely even noticed the cops had arrived. Another one in five tried to run, bolting for exits all around Kuviraville that led out of the station, but were only about fifty percent successful. Those who couldn't get out fell into the final category: those who fought.

Fists and feet flew as the downtrodden fought back against those who had, rightly or wrongly, been oppressing them most of their lives. They didn't have much, but that just made them fight all the more fiercely for what little they had. Attempting to restore order only made things worse for the police, who quickly found themselves outnumbered.

"We have to get out of here," Meiling said, looking ready to bolt. "Hey, Ryu, which way!"

"We'll take the back exit," the bigger teen replied. "I know a way, follow me."

Swiftly, the foursome quickly made their way around the ensuing chaos, slipping just barely past the reach of the fighting homeless and the police, trying to make their way out of Kuviraville. Unfortunately, the exit they attempted first was cut off, and they almost ran facefirst into the chestplate of another police officer.

"Come here, punks!" he reached out to grab a handful of Ryuku's hoodie, as the waterbender boy attempted to yank himself back and out of reach.

When that failed, and the cop took a good, solid grip of the clothing article, Ryuku grabbed his arm in turn and slammed his fist forward, hitting the policeman in his vulnerable, exposed face. The chestplate and much of his armor did wonder to protect his torso and his limbs, but his head was almost completely exposed. The initial hit, while light, caused the cop to release his grip, and Ryuku took full advantage of that, throwing up his other arm and flicking his wrist. A thin stream of water sprayed from underneath his hand, from the hidden waterskin located under his sleeve. It hit the policeman's arm, pushing it up against the nearby wall and quickly freezing solid into ice.

"Come on, this way!" Ryuku instructed, pushing past the policeman towards the exit.

"Wait, wait, Meiling...!"

Ban cried out as Meiling was wrenched from his grasp, pulled back by metal cables wrapped around her torso by another metalbending cop. Willow was swiftly snatched up as well, and Ban turned back to help them.

"You idiot!" shouted Ryuku. They were almost out, but he went back anyway, reaching into the folds of his hoodie for another waterskin and popping the cork. He got sidelined by another policeman who took him, while another pair rushed to intercept Ban. Two cops grabbed Ban's shoulders, restraining him, trying to bring him down, and he panicked, his heart beating hard, his pulse racing. He closed his eyes tightly to fight back the surge of adrenaline...

... and when he re-opened his eyes, they were glowing a brilliant white.

With a great heave of his shoulders, he threw both policemen holding him off like they were nothing more than fleas, sending them crashing to the ground, one knocking over a shopping cart, spilling its contents everywhere. The Avatar's head snapped around, spotting Meiling and Willow still in peril, and threw up a pair of fists. Blunted stalagmites erupted out of the ground in front of him and struck the police holding them in the guts, forcing them to release the girls. With no more pressure on the metal restraints, they were able to wiggle free of their grips.

Ryuku, nearly done with his own fight, paused and watched in a sort of terrifying awe as Ban threw up a hand and a wall erupted out of the rocky ground in front of him, blocking the approach of some more policemen. His momentary distraction, however, cost him as the officer he'd been grappling with slugged him hard across the face, bruising his cheek. Ryuku responded with a knee to his gut, just below where the chestplate where the armor was thinnest. It hurt like hell, but had evidently hurt the policeman just as much, and he dropped to his knees, clutching his gut.

"That'll learn ya," the young waterbender said, rubbing his cheek. With no more police around (conscious, at least) and most of the other homeless having bolted, they were alone. Content that the threat had passed, the Avatar State left Ban, and he slumped forward, exhausted. Meiling and Willow quickly caught him by the arms.

"Hey, easy there Ban, we gotcha," Meiling assured him.

Willow nodded. "That was awesome," she said in a spacey voice.

The two of them followed Ryuku as he beckoned them towards the exit, and this time, no one stood in their way as they slipped out of Kuviraville and the confusion, heading down another back alleyway and into the clear.

Ban started to stir, his gaze clearing. "What happened?"

"Short story, you went all glowy-eyed again," Meiling explained. "Then threw around cops like they were discount shoes going on sale."

"It was way radical," agreed Willow.

"Right, so we need to go..."

"Kyoshi Island is looking pretty good this time of year," Meiling remarked, with a casual shrug.

It was as good a plan as any.

"Then off to Kyoshi Island we go," Ban said in a weary tone.

"I'm coming with," Ryuku said, following behind and watching their back.

Meiling whirled on him. "Since when?!"

Grimacing, Ban stood more upright, shaking himself off her support. "No, Mei, he's right... the cops saw him with us tonight. They'll come after him same as us. He's a part of this now."

She sighed. "Fine, great, let's go."

* * *

They took the overnight heading southwest towards Republic City, with detours along the way they'd hop on when the opportunity came up. The next day, mid-afternoon, they arrived in Du Huong, a stepping stone on the path towards the southern providences of the Earth Kingdom and, ultimately, Kyoshi Island. Sadly, the next train heading in the direction they were going wasn't due for another full day. So they decided to find somewhere to spend the night.

Carrying their meager possessions, the foursome stumbled into the nearest hotel they could find that wasn't too obviously overlooking the train tracks. Ban fumbled for his wallet as he made reservations for a single room with a double bed. The prices here were a little too steep for better, and they'd be a little cramped, but it would do until they could catch the next train. And it beat sleeping in some alleyway, which is what Ryuku had suggested.

"Name, sir?" inquired the Manager.

"Oh, uh..." Ban froze, remembering he was trying to keep a low profile, and giving his real name might not have been the best idea. But that thought only just hit him now, leaving him fumbling for a false identity to use.

"Sir?" the manager repeated.

"I'm Lee," he finally managed to blurt out. "Lee... Rock..."

Meiling grimaced at the obvious lie, and the manager raised an eyebrow, evidently not believing it either. Ban tensed, preparing to make a hasty retreat, when Ryuku swiftly slapped a palm down on the countertop beside him.

"You'll have to forgive my friend," he said, his voice casual, his words measured. "He's a bit slow. Here, I think you'll find all our papers are quite in order."

He lifted his palm, revealing a handful of yuans underneath it. His fingers concealed this from the view of the nearby security cameras, as well as anyone else in the vicinity except himself, Ban, and the manager.

The manager paused, looking at Ryuku, then glancing left and right to ensure the coast was clear... before accepting the yuans, sliding them deftly into his pocket.

"Well then... enjoy your room... Mister Rock and Company."

Releasing a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, Ban accepted the keys into his numb hand, nearly dropping them before holding them tightly, and escorted his compatriots to the third floor where their room was located.

* * *

The room wasn't much to speak of, a double sized bed, a chair, a varrivision, and some air conditioning that seemed to be on the fritz. The fan overhead was spinning lazily overhead, making up for that. All in all, it was terrible, but compared to the train ride, Ban was just grateful to sleep on something that wasn't moving. He'd welcome the floor, which was probably all he'd get.

Ban shrugged off his shirt, anxious to sleep on a real bed... then froze as he remembered he still had company. Meiling's whole face lit up like a traffic light.

"Ban, what're you doing?!" she demanded angrily.

He paused, still holding his pants to his waist. "Getting ready for bed," he replied evenly. "I'm tired."

"Uh, well, uh... okay," Meiling finally managed to splutter out. "Just... okay!"

Seeing the root of her problem, he quickly moved to assure her of his intentions. "You and Willow get the bed," he said. "Ryu, if you don't mind you can get the chair. I'll take the floor."

"Works for me," replied the older teen, already setting a pillow up in the cushy chair. He had angled the furniture so it was facing the doorway, back against the far corner, evidently wanting to be ready in case someone burst through the door to attack them. Normally, Ban would consider him unnecessarily paranoid. But how did that old phrase go? Just because you were paranoid didn't mean they were really out to get you?

Willow had already set down some spare blankets and a free pillow on the floor for Ban to rest, then removed her necklace and set it on the nightstand. "Does anybody mind if I sleep in the nude?" Without waiting for a reply, she pulled her yellow dress up off of her head and let it flutter to the ground. She still wore her burnt orange leggings, but from her waist up it left her completely naked. Ban and Ryu both felt their mouths go dry, unable to quite look away.

Meiling was swift to interpose herself between their eyes and her body, arms outstretched protectively. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, enough of that! About face, both of you!"

Ban was already turning on his heel to present his back to the girls, but Ryu only asked a confused "What about my face?"

 _Oooh, he shouldn't have asked that_ , Ban thought, his cheek aching in sympathetic pain as a slap echoed through the room.

"It's facing the wrong way, that's what!" Meiling said, grabbing the bigger boy's shoulders and turning him around before he could protest.

Willow slipped under the covers of the bed, holding them to her chest modestly, still smiling that serene little smile of hers. Grumbling, Meiling stripped off her sweater and unzip her skirt, but kept the thin white undershirt with her to bed, sliding under the covers with her fellow female teammate. Massaging his angry red cheek, Ryuku climbed into the chair, arms crossed in front of his chest and glaring over at the girls bed as they switched off the light.

Ban lay down on the floor with the bedsheets provided, but could not fall immediately asleep. Instead he could only stare up at the ceiling, feeling tense all over.

 _How on earth can we possibly get through this_? he wondered. _We have virtually no money, no one we can contact_ , _and only Rohan's vague plan to find this 'Third' he spoke of to go on_. It was utterly insane. And Ban thought and thought some more, but could come up with no solution, short term or otherwise.

He was still thinking when he mercifully slipped into darkness and fell asleep.

* * *

He dreamed that night.

 _A swath of sand, a beach perhaps, or a desert, slowly drawing back until the tiny grains stretched on in every possible direction, towards eternity and perhaps beyond. The skies overhead was dotted with clouds which flew past at inhuman speeds, flickering in and out of view almost as fast as he could blink..._

 _Ban turned, and there she stood..._

 _A woman, deeply tanned and dressed in dark blues, with a kindly smile on her face and just a hint of gray in her hair to make her look distinguished instead of old. Her bright blue eyes, like pools of water, gazed out at him with fathomless depths. Deep with knowledge and experience. She said not a word, simply pointed... and Ban realized she was pointing southeast. He had no idea how he knew this, could not explain it, simply understood that was the direction she indicated. He followed her gaze..._

 _She pointed towards an oasis in the midst of the desert. A pool of blue amidst the dry sands..._

Blinking, the dream was gone, and Ban sat up, feeling chilled all over. He rubbed his arms as he lay back down, staring up at the ceiling, and tried to ignore the feeling that someone had just walked over his own grave.

* * *

Travelling didn't get much easier after that, with four of them on a tight budget and no idea where they were going. But they managed, somehow. At Ban's reluctant suggestion and Ryuku's agreement, they jumped tracks on the way southwest to Kyoshi Island and instead headed southeast onto the edge of the desert. It was prime real estate for those who didn't want to be found, the whole area was littered with villages and towns and even the bigger cities were generally lawless and avoided by the big governments of the Earth Kingdom.

The fact that it was also the same way the dream had pointed made Ban felt uneasy all over.

So they finally stumbled one day into the Spirit Oasis and found rooms at the Coiled Unagi Inn. One for the boys, one for the girls, and only until the weekend. And that strained their budget to its absolute breaking point.

"What now?" asked Ban, as they gathered around the singular bed in his room for a makeshift conference. They needed a new plan, running wasn't going to cut it now if they didn't have any money.

"We'll have to get jobs," Ryuku said. "Earn some money to keep moving. I can work the streets, see what's available."

"Maybe Willow and I can see if the local Jasmine Dragon is hiring," Meiling added. "Should be good for short term employment."

"I'll do the same," Ban said.

Three heads rapidly shook back and forth. "No way, you need to stay inside," Ryuku immediately replied.

"I'm not an invalid," Ban protested, his cheeks hot. "I don't want to be a burden."

"It's not about that," replied the darker boy. "But you show your face and you could be a dead man. Right now, you need to stay inside and out of sight."

"Why not work on your Avatar stuff while we get some spending cash?"

"I can't, I don't have an earthbending teacher," Ban replied, flopping back down against the bed's headrest. "You know that," he added sourly.

"Why not try?" suggested Meiling.

This drew only a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, show of hands, who here actually got taught how to bend?" she said, keeping her own hands lowered.

Willow raised a hand. "Mother taught me how to airbender when I was no higher than ye big," she said, lowering said hand to her hip.

Nodding, Meiling glanced over at Ryuku. His arms were crossed over his chest. "Guessing you learned how to bend on your own?"

He snorted, but nodded. "Didn't exactly have much choice," he replied tersely. "Nobody wants to teach you if you can't afford it."

"Which means you learned on your own," Meiling said, pleased with herself. "And I did too. Well, kinda," she added. "Mom did show me some basic moves she learned from dad so I wouldn't burn down the house. But she's not a bender and I learned how to firebend on my own."

"Kinda," Ban added, feeling a need to subtly remind her that her bending skills were less than stellar.

"My point remains valid," she quickly shot back, re-directing the conversation back to him. "Sure, a teacher's great, but you can start learning on your own. And you've got three other benders here who can help you out. Sure, we don't know how to earthbend, but how different can it be? I mean, really?"

* * *

He decided to give it a try, but only once they got a sizable distance from the Misty Palms Oasis. There were multiple reasons for this. Given his rogue status in the world, Ban definitely wanted to keep a low profile. In this respect he totally agreed with his friends. The fewer people who were around to watch him earthbend, the better. Second, if he was being honest with himself, Ban was painfully embarrassed with his lack of ability and did not want to make a spectacle of himself.

And if, for some reason, he entered the Avatar State again and caused an earthquake or a landslide or something awful, he wanted to be far away from civilization where no one would get hurt.

It didn't help knowing his friends were nearby.

"Okay... nice and easy..." Ban said, taking in a few deep breaths and trying to limber himself up. It always helped when he was studying chi-blocking, maybe the moves for earthbending would be similar.

He went throught the motions he'd seen Master Cheng teaching the students back in Zaofu. Kick, punch, elbow. Slide left, slide right. Duck, dodge, weave. He put on an excellent show fighting the air, but the earth didn't so much as shiver underneath him.

"Maybe you need to think like a rock!" Meiling suggested from nearby, sipping on her juice.

"That shouldn't be hard," remarked Ryuku.

Sighing, Ban straightened his shoulders and made to try again. Unaware that, despite their remote location... they were being watched...

* * *

Meanwhile, nearby and yet far away...

On the hillside overlooking the valley, a man crouched down at the very edge of the ridge, watching his quarry through a long telescope in his hand. He recognized Ban easily enough, ignoring the other three. His target was in sight. And as Jade had promised, he was completely unaware.

Almost too easy, but the Steel Stalagmite was never one to turn down easy money. Besides, he'd already spent it, so he owed his boss a hit.

Reaching down to the belt at his side, the Stalagmite drew out a long metal stake that hung on a belt from his waist. Several of its brethren clinked against one another as he held it up by his side. This was, quite naturally, the source of his infamous monicker, for an assassin rarely felt a need to share his real identity, even with his clients, let alone his victims.

Using very careful, precise metalbending, he let the stake lift out of his palm and begin to spin along its axis. The tip remained pointed forward as his fingers caresses the air, controlling it, building up a momentum and energy that would, in mere moments, propel it through the air almost faster than the eye could follow. Once he had the energy build up ready, he kept a tight hold on the metal stake with his bending instead, and again lined up Ban in his sights. Specifically, the crosshairs directly over his targets head.

It would all be over in an instant. One clean shot... and the Avatar would be no more.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you've enjoyed.

Yes, a Rock Lee reference. I'm sorry I simply had to, it was too good an opportunity to pass up. That name is so hilariously bad, and it fits in the Avatar Verse with surprising ease.

And of course, Korra's first cameo in the story. We all know who she is, but Ban will get to meet her later properly.

The Steel Stalagmite was originally unnamed, but I realized a high caliber assassin needed a label and came up with it almost seconds before I posted. The technique, however, is one I've been working on for ages, and figured in a world without guns like the Avatar lives in, snipers could still be a possibility. Originally he was going to be a waterbender with icicles, but it seemed too silly a concept to me.

Next Time: Book One, Chapter Seven, Third Time's the Charm.


	7. B1 C07 Third Time's the Charm

" _I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated_ _._ "  
\- **Mai**.

* * *

Ban stumbled for the umpteenth time, tripping over his own stance and his reckless, overly telegraphed kicks and punches. Nothing felt right, most prominently because he could plainly see he wasn't earthbending. The commentary from the sidelines wasn't helping much either, it just continued to make Ban feel self-conscious.

Sighing, he decided it was a good a time as any to take a break, and headed back to rejoin the others. By now, his tea would be cold, but it was better than nothing, and he needed to stay hydrated. He stepped back towards the group...

Tripped over a rocky outcropping he hadn't properly judged the height of...

... and narrowly missed having his head impaled as he stumbled forwards. Just as something fast and metallic whizzed overhead, narrowly missing his ear.

His head snapped around as Ban heard the impact moments later, and saw a metallic spike impaled in the ground mere yards away.

"What the hell?!"

Ban instantly dropped down into a defensive stance, searching for where the weapon had come from, but he had to admit, he had absolutely no idea which way. Somewhere from the ridge along his left, he was sure of that much. But where was...?

Another silver stake shot past his shoulder, forcing him to duck down.

"Get down!" Ryuku shouted, following his own advice and dropping behind a rock, dragging Willow down beside him as Meiling leapt for her own hiding spot nearby.

Ban threw himself behind a rocky outcropping on his belly, wincing as he felt his elbows and knees impact, grimacing at the pain, but grateful he wasn't dead at least.

"Does anybody see the sniper?!" Meiling yelled.

"No! Stay down!" Ryuku commanded, not anxious to have her make a target of herself.

Ban equally kept his head down. It was fairly obvious _he_ was the target, and equally obvious why.

"Nothing is ever easy, is it?" he muttered. But there was no use dwelling on that now. They needed a course of action, and quickly. Fortunately, his friends were coming up with a plan even as his mind raced to find his own solution.

"I think the shots are coming from the east!" Ryuku yelled. "Ban, when I yell, head for the oasis, run fast and don't go in a straight line! Zig-zag, damn it! I'm going to draw their fire!"

"What?! No! That's a terrible idea!"

"DO YOU HAVE BETTER?!"

There was another impact, and a hole in the ground dangerously close to where Ban was. The sniper was trying to either flush him out or get a lucky shot. Either way it was working.

"NOW!"

Ban didn't even look back, he just took off running, scrambling on all fours when his feet failed to find purchase in the dirt and rock and then quickly taking off at a sprint. Almost forgetting to take Ryuku's advice until the last minute, when a stray shot hit just ahead of his shoe, nearly taking off his foot. He made sure to zig-zag after that.

Then suddenly, there was a loud rumble, and Ban skidded to a halt, nearly falling over as his footing became unstable. The ground was shaking like an earthquake, and he glanced up as he felt the worst of the vibrations coming from the east, where the sniper was. Ban braced for another attack, but to his surprise, it wasn't aimed at him. There were two men there, on a hillside overlooking the valley. Earthbending. Fighting. Rocks flew through the air as they bobbed and weaved, dodging or parrying the blows of their counterpart then returning the effort to take them down.

Meiling skidded to a halt beside him, and Willow and Ryuku weren't far behind.

"What the hell is going on up there?"

"Looks like someone came to help," Willow said. "Way cool of them."

Nodding dimly, Ban was forced to agree.

The battle was quickly decided and over, and the foursome tensed as they heard a sickening crack, watching a silhouette vanish under a boulder bigger than it was. The remaining figure dropped down from the ridge and slid down the ground towards them. The earth carried them as they rode it as easily as if it was a slide, until they arrived in front of Ban and the others.

Though tense, Ban was inclined to believe this wasn't the sniper. If it was, they'd still be firing metal spikes at him. Plus, Jiao, while tense at his side, wasn't barking. He didn't see the man as a threat. Ban could trust that.

Up close, features were easier to make out. It was an older man, just barely middle aged, or so it seemed. His features were tanned, weathered, and preserved, and his figure was sturdy beneath the dull gray uniform he was wearing. It bore some similarities to the outfits the guards back in Zaofu wore, though it looked outdated and very worn, if well taken care of. His face was the same way, leathery almost, and sporting a perpetual five o'clock shadow, but otherwise unremarkable, neither handsome or ugly. His hair was trimmed short in a crew cut, and it was sprinkled with gray. But most noticeable of all his features were his eyes. A very intense shade of green. They seemed to look not just at Ban, but right through him.

"You kids have no idea just how lucky you are," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle for someone so intense looking. He jerked his head and then started to take off walking. "Follow me, before someone finds that idiot's corpse."

Murder, right. Whoever the sniper was, Ban was betting the police finding out would be bad. Faced with few options, he and the others fell into file behind the man who'd just saved them.

"Do you know this guy?" Ryuku asked, noticing the way the older man seemed so keen on helping them.

"... but something about him feels... familiar..." he said, unable to put his finger on just what that was.

"Maybe you met him?" Willow said airily. "Like, in another life?"

Normally he'd scoff at the idea, but given the Avatar was a direct reincarnation of past lives, well, he couldn't very well ignore such a possibility. And there was something about those eyes...

"Maybe," he said uncertainly. Whatever it was, it was enough to follow.

For now.

* * *

The strange man, the former soldier (if that's indeed what he was) led them around the oasis to its northern side. Visible in the distance, he was not leading them to it, but further into the hills, then down into a deep crevice in the earth. It winded its way in towards a tunnel that snaked even further under the ground, twisting like a corkscrew into the Earth.

Resting on a stone by the entryway was a lantern, which their guide lit, lighting the way.

"What is this place?" asked Ryuku, eyes following the ceiling. He did not like the look of this stalactites. They looked like teeth, to his eyes, especially the way the light and shadows were playing across them. It stirred up very unpleasant memories with him.

"Some underground... cave..." Meiling replied, then cut herself short as they reached an impasse. A sizable dip in the cave that descended low into the ground, leading to a hollow abyss below. There was another tunnel at the other end of the cavern, just barely visible in the light of the lantern, but well out of reach.

The strange man threw up his arms and kicked sideways, creating a makeshift bridge they then crossed to the far side. Once they were there, he collapsed it, leaving the cavern once again an impasse for anyone without bending or modern climbing equipment. On the other side, deeper down the tunnel, the walls sloped upwards and a steel door was imbedded within the rock. It bore the stamp of the Earth Kingdom on it, and looked otherwise damn near as impenetrable as Ba Sing Se itself. Some modern lighting on the walls nearby flickered on and off, illuminating the cavern and negating the need for the man's lantern.

"What is this place?" Willow breathed out, gazing about in awe.

"It's one of the bunkers," Ban realized. When the others gazed at him in confusion, he elaborated. "We learned about it in history class. During the latter part of the Hundred Years War, when the Earth Kingdom was losing, some prominent nobles and politicians began building these bunkers in various parts of the world. They were designed to be sealed shut, allowing them to wait out the enemy, so to speak, and emerge later once the heat had died down. They were supposed to be livable for decades."

"And, what, this guy just happened to build his own?" Ryuku asked.

"More like he's re-purposing this one," the young Avatar suggested. "I think the bunkers were all de-commissioned following the war. I mean, it's not like they had much use for them after all."

"Or he's stolen it from its rightful owner," suggested the street punk.

Ban pondered that. They didn't really know much about their supposed savior. Perhaps it was time to fix that. He reached out a hand for the man's shoulder to get his attention.

"Excuse me, sir?"

The man whipped around so fast Ban didn't even have time to react, sweeping his legs out from underneath him and throwing up a hand, then drawing it down. A sharp stalactite dropped from the ceiling, the wicked tip piercing the air until it came to a halt... inches from Ban's throat. He froze instantly, having no desire for the strange man to finish his attack.

"Hey!"

In motion almost before the second part of the attack was finished, Ryuku threw out a hand and let water flow from the waterskin concealed in his sleeve, hardening it into an icicile dagger. The strange man blocked his wrist before he could strike, however, and grabbed Ryuku by the front of his hoodie, hip-checking him and throwing him around his body to slam up against the far wall. Before Ryuku could recover from the blow, the man slammed a foot down and threw his hands up and around. Rocks projected from the walls, instantly slapping over the street kid's wrists, pinning them to the wall and preventing him from further bending, struggle though he did.

Not even waiting for the girls to make a move, the strange man thrust a hand down and then rose it up in a swirling motion. The ground, previously solid, turned to mud, and both Meiling and Willow were sucked down with frightening effectiveness. The same thing happened to Jiao, causing the little eel-hound pup top wimper as he sunk up to his neck in the cold ground.

Ban watched all this with a look of horror in his eyes, mouth parted in a silent " _I'm sorry..._ " before he heard the sigh.

The strange man sighed, deeply disappointed.

"I expected better," he grumbled, turning his back and throwing up a hand. His fingers unclenched from a fist, and instantly the earthbending feats he'd enacted re-tracted. The stalactite drawing back into the ceiling, the stone cuffs breaking into so much rubble, and the ground regurgitated the girls, expelling them without even a mark to show for their ordeal.

The point had been made: this man, whoever he was, could kill them all in an instant if he so choose. But he hadn't. The question now was much more complex: why?

"Follow me," he said, not even bothering to help Ban up. He unlocked a series of latches and twisted the handle of the metal door, easing it open. Rusted and old though it was, it remained in working order.

Meiling eased Ban to his feet, and much as they might have wanted to run at this point, the foursome followed the strange man into the bunker. They needed answers.

* * *

Inside the bunker was not the typical fallout conditions Ban half-expected, but a rudimentary effort to appear homely. Throw rugs and assorted furniture, all obviously second or third hand acquired, if not straight from the garbage. Ceiling lights flickered overhead, but overall the room seemed warm and comfortably enough. Several doors lead away from the main hall, one marked with bathroom facilities for both men and women, the others seemed to be bedrooms. It was all very utilitarian. Functional, practical. Less a home and more where someone happened to live.

Their host stepped to the far end of the room, past a pair of couches and a trio of varrivisions which were all set to news channels, and made his way into a kitchen set up at the far end of the room. Without bothering to speak to them, he popped open the fridge and drew out a glass bottle, popping the cap with a flick of his hand, not even touching the cylinder. Some alcoholic brand, possibly a Wang brand beer.

 _He's a metalbender_ , Ban noted. Not a common talent. Definitely glad he didn't want to kill us.

"Uhm, introductions might be in order," Ban suggested, feeling a need to break the ice. "I'm Ban Beifong, this is..."

"I know who you are," he replied. "Ban Beifong. Meiling Zheng. Willow. Even Jiao." His gaze slid sideways to the fourth member of their party. "This one I don't know, however."

"Ryuku," the boy replied, hands in his hoodie's sleeves. "Ryuku Kuruk, not that it's any of your business."

"I make it my business," he replied. "Especially since he's family."

"Family?" Ban, Meiling, and Willow chorused.

"My name's Baatar," he said. "Baatar Beifong. I'm your uncle."

"Uncle?" asked Willow. She glanced between Ban and Baatar, comparing the two in her mind, and possibly recognized the age gap was a little wider than a conventional nephew and uncle.

He rolled his eyes before clarifying. "Technically great uncle."

"I don't seem to recall you at any family reunions," Ban replied cautiously.

"Your grandparents and mine had a falling out of sorts. Dad... Baatar Junior... kept up the good will for a few years but ultimately I couldn't keep doing it any longer. So I left home."

"I don't remember that," Ban said.

"Before your time, kid..."

Willow tilted her head, thinking deeply, her silver eyes shimmering as thoughts swirled behind them. "So if your grandfather and father both were named Baatar, that makes you..."

"Baatar the Third," he replied, grimacing. "Yes, I know."

"The third..." Ban repeated. Instantly, it clicked. "... that's what Rohan told me before... you're who he meant!"

"Rohan?"

"Are you a member of the White Lotus?" asked Ban, feeling hope well up inside of his chest. This must have been what the aged master had meant. The safe contact they could meet.

But the older man shook his head. "Not a chance... but I was good friends with Master Rohan. We... kept in touch for a few years after the fallout with my folks. I owe him a lot. You said he told you something about me?"

"He told me to find you," Ban explained. "It was his dying request."

"... I see. Why?"

Hesitating for a moment, Ban decided to put his trust in the aged master's isntructions, and by association trust Baatar. "I'm the Avatar. I was on my way to study earthbending in Ba Sing Se when we were attacked... Rohan didn't make it. But before he died he said you were the one I needed to seek out. That you'd help me."

"Me? Help you? Hah!" he snorted, taking a long chug of his drink. "The Avatar's been nothing but a curse on my family."

"That's not true. Avatar Korra was-"

"Avatar Korra had my mother locked up for the rest of her life in a prison that no one ever visited. I never knew my own mother because of her. Why on earth would I help you?"

Ban frowned at that, unable to reconcile what he knew about Avatar Korra with the impassionate way he spoke of such. It was clear he wasn't lying, but there was something more to the story that perhaps Baatar wasn't telling.

"... you're right. I guess you don't have any reason to help. We'll be on our way."

"Good luck with that," Baatar said. "You won't last long out there."

"We'll manage," Ryuku said tersely, already anxious to be gone. The others were following, but Ban lingered. Something felt wrong. Not being here, but leaving. Something was telling him to stay.

Normally, Ban was quite content to let logic overtake any instinct or gut feeling he'd ever had in his life. Reason had done him a lot of good keeping him out of trouble. But now that he was the Avatar, things were different, and perhaps he needed to listen to his instincts. The same ones that had led him out here in the first place.

He took another look around, checking out the interior of the bunker where Baatar had made his home. He paused as he saw a picture on the far wall. A man who looked a great deal like Baatar, and a woman. Both in military uniforms. She looked familiar somehow, and he struggled to recall what he remembered. A tiny little nugget of information he'd filed away ages ago, when he'd asked about the family tree. And the one aspect of it they never spoke of. Sure, they had many stories about Toph Beifong, the legendary greatest earthbender who had ever lived. More than a few about her daughter, who'd died bravely while defending Republic City. But the one they never spoke of...

"... you're _Kuvira_ 's son."

Baatar nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah."

"The tyrant and conquerer?" Meiling asked, then slapped ahand over her mouth as she realied what she was saying.

"The Great Uniter," Ban clarified, covering for her. Hopefully her own title would be less offensive, though it was still told in an unflattering light in the history books.

"To me, she was just a mother," Baatar replied, his voice full of bitterness, sinking into a seat on a nearby couch. Willow scooted aside to give him more room, sitting down on the armrest instead. "I guess it doesn't matter now. She died when I was only fifteen."

Hesitantly, Ban said "... to me... I guess I never knew her. But Avatar Korra never locked her, the history books say she stopped her... saved her... during the Invasion of Republic City. But... yeah, I guess you have every reason be mad still. Beifong's locked her up. And we held the key to her cell until..."

The older man sighed, lowering his head.

"She was my mother," Baatar said. "And they locked her up. But you're not Korra. And I'm not my mom. I'm just a soldier... and I guess now I'm your teacher."

"Since when?" Ban raised an eyebrow. His decision sure had changed quickly.

"Since you need one."

"He's not wrong," Meiling interjected, causing both of them to glance her way. "Ban, you're making progress don't get me wrong but you need someone who really knows what they're doing. Baatar obviously does. You should hear him out."

"Making progress? You must have been pretty pathetic before today," Baatar said unkindly.

He bristled at the tone. "Give me a break, I only just learned I can earthbend a week ago," Ban replied. "Also, the Avatar."

"Life isn't going to give you breaks, kid. If you wait for it to do so, all you're going to do is get broken."

Recognizing that his new teacher was just trying to motivate him didn't make Ban any less irritated by his tone. Still, he took a moment to breathe. "Alright... I guess I don't have much choice," Ban said.

"You sure don't," Baatar replied, making the young Avatar grimace. "And believe me, nephew, this isn't going to be a picnic. But if you trust me... I will help you learn earthbending. And give you a shot at making the world a better place."

"That's all I want to do."

"Then pick a room and get some sleep. We start first thing in the morning."

* * *

As Baatar promised, the training wasn't easy.

They started early, before the sun had even risen, and without breakfast. Ban was still half-asleep and lucky to be showered and dressed, given the time in which his teacher had allowed for such. He hadn't even had a chance to properly brush his teeth before Baatar had dragged them outside and into a nearby canyon.

They stood in front of a large rock, nearly half again Ban's height, resting on the ground.

"Follow my motions, kid," his teacher instructed, assuming the stance and making a pointed show of his how his arms, hands, legs and feet all moved. The way his shoulders shifted and his hips turned, and in turn, how he bent the earth to his will. The great boulder rolled easily, moving from its flat side up onto a pointed edge, then rolling flat again on its back, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

Nodding, Baatar relaxed. "Now you do it."

Sighing, Ban tried to do as he had before, following Baatar's instructions. He planted his feet, spread his knees, and assumed the stance. He went through the motion, and swung his fists around in what he hoped was a precise imitation of his teachers move. Alas, he was apparently lacking.

"No, no, no... not like that... first off, stance... we're earthbenders, we need to be solid in how we touch the ground... like this..."

Baatar was not a patient teacher, or a kind one. But he knew his craft, having served in the military in his youth before he'd abandoned the city life and gone into seclusion. He knew how to fight, and so he knew how to bend. He would break Ban down, and then build him back up. He corrected Ban's stance, wider and stronger. He made sure his back was straight and his fists were tightly clenched. Ban felt weird, it wasn't the same as a chi-blocking stance and everything he did felt off somehow, like he was moving through water. Or thick mud, maybe. Still, he dutifully complied and did his best to repeat the motion.

"Again."

* * *

Again Ban tried, and again he was met with failure. And on it went, minutes building into hours. The sun was high overhead, and he'd already started to work up a sizable sweat. His muscles burned from his efforts to earthbend, but Baatar kept him working.

"Again!"

"Hey, give me a break, Ba Sing Se wasn't built in a day!" Ban complained, stretching out his arms and rotating his shoulders. It only seemed to make his back feel _worse_.

"You should have greater control over the element by now," declared his teacher sternly. "Go again."

Breathing out heavily, Ban could only oblige, going through the motions. He assumed the stance, digging in his feet and thrusting out with his palms. To an outside observer, he was doing it all right, but the ground barely reacted to him. He'd had more luck moving the boulder if he just punched on the damned thing.

He wasn't feeling the element. And as long as he didn't do that, he'd never be able to properly earthbend. Baatar sighed, shaking his head then casting his gaze skywards. _Why me?_ he silently asked the universe.

* * *

Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks.

Having the worst of it, Ban suffered through his training, trying valiantly to learn the ways of the earth bending that were a necessary first step in his Avatar journey. Meanwhile, the rest of his friends quickly settled into routines that suited them, finding their respective niches.

Willow did not enjoy the underground bunker, but had taken to the countryside and all of its quaint charm like a turtle-duck to water. She went wandering the desert, following the currents of air as they drifted through the wilderness, then floating back home before the sun set. Most days, at least. Some nights they even found her dancing with the spirits amongst the star light. They positively flocked about her.

Meanwhile, Ryuku was taking the situation with a grain of salt. He didn't care for his present circumstances, though he kept promising himself it was better than being dead or back in prison. And he'd endured worse living conditions on the streets. So he kept busy with his own waterbending practice and training. His style wasn't exactly traditional, but it worked, and he had to keep up with it.

Of them all, Meiling was the one taking their present the hardest. Not entirely because she was a bit spoiled to modern conveniences, but because she had no immediate outlet for her boundless energy. She spent whole days bouncing about the interior of the bunker, until some days when Baatar had to kick her out just to get some peace and quiet. And he refused to let her near Ban during their training, giving her one less person to talk to. She watched the VV's, flickering from news story to news story, but they were the only channels available, and she quickly got bored with that as well. Plus, without regular application of her hair dye, the darker roots of her blonde hair were starting to show. Although she wouldn't admit it, Meiling's patience was starting to fray.

She'd even started to play Pai Sho with Willow just to keep her mind occupied. Ban returned late one day after a grueling earthbending session to find the girls playing in the living room.

Barely paying him any mind, Meiling skipped one of her pieces across the Pai Sho board. It was a rookie move, and one she'd made in many a previous game, but she did it precisely because it divided enemy forces the way she wanted to. Sacrificing one pieces for the sake of capturing many later on.

Willow smiled knowingly. "I see what you did there," she said airily. "You won't fool me with that move again."

Picking up a piece, she rolled it along her fingers before placing it back on the board. It was indeed avoiding one trap Meiling had set, and a familiar one, but she'd still moved _exactly_ where Meiling had anticipated she would. She could be so predictable. The firebender girl selected her next piece and was about to end the game when she spotted Ban stumbling in.

"Hey Ban," Meiling said amicably. "How's training going?"

"Rrffgl," he replied, exhausted. He stumbled past the girls to his room.

Meiling nodded. "He says he's doing just fine," she translated, going back to her game with Willow. Sliding a piece across the board, she claimed victory. "Hah, I win again! Best out of nineteen?"

Blinking great silvery eyes, Willow nodded serenely. "Okay."

* * *

One day, it just clicked.

Ban threw his arm around and swung up his fist. At first, he didn't feel anything, and he sighed, about to repeat the motion, already aware that Baatar was going to instruct him to do it again. But then, opening his eyes, he saw the boulder had rolled up onto its fat end. Finishing the move, watching all the while, Ban Beifong consciously rolled the rock over.

He sighed, his body relaxing, but his hands were trembling. It was as if he'd lived his whole life in the dark, and suddenly someone had thrown a light switch. It wasn't just that he'd managed to do it, he could see... _feel_... everything now. The rocky walls of the canyon, the heavy boulder, the dust in the air. All of it. It was speaking to him. A dull murmur he could barely hear on the peripherary, but he could just make it out.

He could earthbend. Stunned, he looked over his shoulder, finding his mentor watching him.

"Again?" he asked, hesitantly.

The Third Baatar gave an approving nod, sending him right back to it.

Maybe the kid _could_ learn.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:  
** Please review if you've enjoyed.

And so we're introduced to the mysterious Third: Baatar Beifong III, son of Kuvira. After Junior, I had to continue the naming scheme, and it further ties the story in with the previous Legend. I picture him voiced by the same actor as his dear ol' dad and granddad (who shared one in Korra's show).

I also must apologize for a short hiatus the story is going on. Working TWO Avatar stories at the same time is draining me, so I'm resolving to complete one first so I can give them both the attention they need. I'll end Ruby's Legend, then focus on Ban. So please be patient with me, if you would.

Next Time: Book One, Chapter Eight, Downtime.


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